Hardships of Teenage Love
by Tribute X
Summary: Ever since Peeta started school his eyes always rested upon Katniss. Her sin black hair, her glistening eyes.. But once he finds himself submerged into the world of the 74th Hunger Games everything changes. And he finds himself not only closing in on another but multiple. With an indecisive heart and the new rule change he is more confused than ever. Contains multiple pairings AU
1. The Careers

(OOC: Hey guys, I just want to inform you all that while this chapter is in Peeta's POV, I will be alternating every chapter! Oh and please review!)

**Chapter 1 – The careers**

_This is not how the game was meant to be played. Katniss and I, we were meant to be how the game was played. I know my actions are wrong but I cannot help but wander astray from the path that was intended to be taken._

* * *

10, 9, 8… My eyes look over to Katniss, who is posed to run… but not away from where the bloodbath will take place.

7, 6, 5 … _I cannot lose her. I must stop her. But how?_

4, 3… Her eyes make one more, quick look around at her surroundings until her eyes fall on me.

2… I shake my head, mouth the words _don't do it_.

1, 0… Time is up. I watch Katniss for a little waiting to see what she will do. She hesitates before running towards the cornucopia. _Why Katniss? _She scoops up a loaf of bread and a bit of plastic but that is not enough for her. She is running in further… in the vicinity of a bag. So is the boy from district nine. With this little bit of waking information I am running towards her, when suddenly I see a girl with long black hair running towards the two tributes. There must only be one thought on her mind; Prey. I change my course so I am now running at Clove. She has her knife pulled out and is ready to throw. I dive at her but I am too far away to hit her. She has thrown her knife. My hope is lost until I look at the poor wounded and now possibly dead boy falling to the ground. Katniss! She is still alive! She is now hauling the bag over her shoulder and making a dash for the sanctuary of the woods. Too bad she won't get there. Clove is bringing another knife out and this time is aiming at Katniss's head. I get back up and push Clove. Her throw hits the back of Katniss's bag.

"What the fuck Peeta! ?" She shouts at me.

"Sorry Clove, I stumbled" I apologise. She stares at me for a little.

"Whatever, we have bigger fish to fry at the moment, grab a weapon" She says more calmly as she points to the cornucopia before running of to take aim at another poor soul. I pick up a one handed sword and prepare myself to kill anyone who tries to take me out. An older girl rushes me, dagger in hand and posed to strike. I pull up my sword and get ready to bring it down into her skull. My hand trembles and I drop the sword. Now she is upon me. Her dagger has almost reached my skin when the blade penetrates her heart. It's not my work. The blade disappears and her lifeless body falls to the reddening floor. I look up and see Marvel. He gives me a questioning stare but I do not amuse him with an answer but instead go and meet up with the other careers who have seemed to run out of prey.

"How many did you guys kill?" Cato asked

"Three" Marvel said

"Four" Clove beamed.

"I killed five" Cato arrogantly replied, as usual…

"One..." Glimmer whined.

"What about you loverboy?" Cato asks.

"Err… none…" I say barely audible. This causes a look of confusion on Cato's face, wiping off whatever smugness he had previously worn.

"You do realise we are called the careers for a reason right?" Cato asks expressionlessly. I simply nod my head because I am sure that this lecture is far from over.

"He almost killed someone, a girl… but then he chickened out" Marvel added. _Gee, thanks Marvel… you just had to tell him that didn't you? _

"What? You couldn't even kill a girl? That's seriously pathetic, If you aren't going to help us kill then you're a dead weight to us" Cato says menacingly as his hands grip around his sword, his muscles bulging. I try to move; I try to run but am bound to the floor by some unknown force, paralyzing me. _I can't believe this is how it is going to end. I'm sorry Katniss… I have failed you. Now you'll never know the truth. You'll never know that my lie is the truth. You'll never know how much you mean to me. You'll never know…_

"Cato! Stop!" I am flung back into reality, my thoughts that once clouded my head are now dissipating. The first thing I see is a girl's long black hair… Clove. She has come to my rescue! But why?

Cato's eyebrow rises as he stares down on the shorter, yet highly intimidating girl, but, this is Cato we are speaking about. He doesn't let others intimidate him so easily, he cannot stand to look weak under conservation.

"Now why should I do that? If the chicken doesn't produce the merchandise you kill it. I don't see why he should be any different. Now move out of my way Clove, this cow has reached the slaughter house" Cato growls as he raises his sword up above his head. By reflex my eyes tighten and my muscles tense as I wait for the metallic instrument to penetrate my skin, making impact with whatever organs it can find…

Only it never comes. I open my eyes again, my view hasn't changed. The black hair hasn't moved. It hasn't even swayed. _Why is she staying? Why doesn't she just let me die?_

"Cato. Are you that willing to kill our best chance of finding little miss eleven?" Clove asks calmly. I secretly smirk to myself. Cato loosens his grip and brings the sword down to his side slowly. Clove had won. She definitely was not to be underestimated. _Maybe Cato isn't the leader of the group… Perhaps it is none other than the short girl who knows how to manipulate others with the simplest of words, bringing them into submission… Well I guess that is why she wanted to let me live. So she could take out worthier prey. Looks like Cato hasn't been the only one who has been jealous at being outscored by a puny girl from an outlying district._

"Whatever. Not like he would be able to do much if he got away" He mutters, trying to regain his superiority over the group.

"Guys? Why don't we take our supplies over to the lake? That way we will be closer to the water" Glimmer reasons, trying desperately to lift the mood and I can't help but stare at her. All this time I had thought of her as just a dumb blonde… but then I guess I didn't really know much about her. Her personality was always so bubbly so I just presumed that she was ignorant to the world, which just proves it is dangerous to assume anything. I assumed I was safe from the reaping and look where that got me… _This is the hunger games… nothing is safe to assume. _

"That sounds like a great idea Glimmer" Cato praised. _Cato… praising?_ That would almost seem unusual if it wasn't obvious that he and Glimmer have a thing for each other. That's when I notice the dark silhouette behind Cato.

"Cato! Behind you!" I warn. The other three jump into action. Clove pulls a knife out aims it at the shadowy figure, Marvel raises his spear and Glimmer has her bow and arrowed aimed… I'm just not sure at who… Glimmer has never been the most accurate shooter…

Cato simply laughs and turns toward the figure. "This is district three" He informs us as if it explains everything. "He tells me he can use the mines as weapons" My jaw can't help but drop. I look at the other careers and see my expressions reflected back. This is a first. No one in seventy-four years of games has ever done anything like this before.

"Are you sure you can?" Glimmer asks the petrified boy in a soothing voice. The boy simply nods his head. He is no idiot, he knows even if he didn't he wouldn't tell us. That would mean instant death. This is the only reason he is still alive.

"Well… get to it" Cato says menacingly and just like that the boy is digging at the feet of a pedestal. Truth isn't the only thing that can get you killed, disobedience can just as easily. Obviously the boy knows this though. After that as if by an unspoken agreement we all start taking supplies over to the lake. Glimmer is holding a few swords, Marvel, a few tents, Cato carries a few bundles of food and is leading the pack, Clove holds more food and I am left bearing a bow and arrow, a mace and a scimitar.

After numerous trips to the cornucopia and back we seem to have everything. Cato grunts as he attempts to put up a tent, the key word being attempt. Marvel is now helping him and they seem to actually be getting something done now. Glimmer is organising the supplies into the best formation, which she has decided is a pyramid. We have decided that the mines will be going around the supplies and we don't want anything to fall and trigger an explosion. The dark haired boy is still digging; he is now up to his fifth pedestal. I'm currently standing against a tree waiting for orders, when they come.

"Peeta and I will get some wood for a fire" Clove informs before walking off quickly with an agenda. She must be one of those people that feel like they must always be doing something…

We are walking for what seems to be about thirty minutes in silence before we stop.

"This is what we want…" Clove says to herself as she bends down to pick up a piece reddish wood that had fallen off the tree now in front of us. "This tree will last us enough for the whole of the games…" She says and I simply nod is approval. She grabs the axe from me, her smooth hands slowly sliding over mine.

"Do you want me to do it?" I ask.

"No Peeta, it's fine. You had to carry the axe up the whole time anyways. It's only fair" She reasons as she makes the axe's first impact with the tree. A quiet air falls over us and I am not quite sure what to say.

"Thanks by the way" I say after a while of silence. Her brown eyes flick towards me, a look of puzzlement covers her face. "For rescuing me… from Cato" A small smile crosses her face that is barely visible in the pale moonlight.

"You're welcome but surely you must know why I did it?" She asks.

"Well yeah… to find 'little miss eleven'" I quote.

"Mm yes, that is what I said isn't it? Well then yes I guess that's the reason. The sooner she is out of the way the better" She tells me. My mind is bombarded with pictures of a lifeless Katniss sprawled out in front of me, blood dripping from her black hair, from her lips, from every crevice of her body blood pours like in rivers. I see her face, or more what used to be her face. I am accelerated back into the world of reality where Katniss is safe. Where no harm has come to her… yet…

Clove is still hacking away, without a complaint, no grunt, no nothing. It gives me an eerie feeling because apart from the sound of the metal splintering its way through wood the air is quiet. Her endurance amazes me.

"Do you want me to take over?" I ask softly. Clove turns around to me once more, her brow beaded with sweat. She smiles and hands me the axe.

"Thanks, I could have gone for much longer but you seem like you really want to help" She tells me as she goes and leans against a pine tree.

"Of course, you are a career" I tell her.

"Sucking up will get you nowhere" Clove averted. I lean backwards and swing my arms using the granted momentum and chop into the tree. "Oh and thanks" She whispers. _What do you know; some of these beasts are actually courteous…_

_**CRACK**__! _I jump, as the tree comes hurtling towards the earth, missing Clove by mere centimetres. She glares up at me.

"Sorry, trust me it was non-intentional!" I tell her as I try to keep the shakiness out of my voice. _What if she over reacts? What if she goes into a state of rage and decides to take me out?_ I gulp. _If Cato could, why wouldn't Clove? They are after all… careers. They are from the same district. They are surely not used to having near death experiences at someone's ignorance. No, they are far too well trained for ignorance in a district that trains non-stop for their whole life…_

"You could have warned me" She says, her glassy eyes reflecting the fear in my eyes. _Wait… she is calm. How can someone of such great anger and someone of such passiveness come from the same place? _"Doesn't matter, anyways on the bright side the tree has fallen. Do you need a break?"

* * *

I bend over to grab the blocks of wood at my feet. Clove has already started the journey back; she is probably about thirty metres ahead of me in the thick of the forest. My hands grasp firmly around the jagged edges. That is when I see it. I see the bright auburn hair coming towards me, I reach for my dagger but I am too slow. She has tackled me to the ground and now sits on top of me.

"Cl-" I start but she muffles my voice by placing her right hand over my mouth. I can now see her face clearer. Her fair face only intensifying the grasp of her misty blue eyes, her pale pink lips opening.

"Shh" She tells me. I wriggle in protest. _I can take her out. She doesn't look that strong; I should be able to finish her right here and now. _ She pulls out my dagger from my pocket and places it up to my neck. "Move and your dead" She whispers into my ear. I gulp and stiffen in understanding. "Good."

"Why don't you just kill me?" I ask, puzzled. _What would she have to gain by letting another tribute live? _

"No. I just want to warn you" She whispers, looking around her scared that Clove may return.

"Warn me about what?"

"The careers, be careful they will kill you as soon as they find you useless"

"Yes, but why are you telling me this?" I ask.

"It doesn't matter why. Just get out of there before they decide you are no help. Got it?" She asks and runs off before receiving a reply. Her auburn hair disappearing the same way as it entered, in silence and in grace. So many thoughts race through my mind; _what just happened? Who was that girl? Why did she let me live?_

No time to think now. I have to catch up to Clove before she starts asking questions. I bend down and pick up the scattered wood that had flung out of my hands once I had been tackled.

After five minutes of awkward jogging I manage to catch up to Clove. "Hey" I say as I walk beside her.

"What took you so long? You didn't run into any trouble?" She asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

"No, I just dropped the wood, took me a while to find all of the pieces" I lie. She nods her head in belief. _Good._

"You got to be careful from now on. As soon as Cato sees you not being able to complete a simple task he will lash out. You got to be more careful." She advises. I simply nod my head and zip my lips. The less I talk is probably better with the careers but Clove doesn't seem to allow me this. "You prepared for an active hunting day tomorrow?"

"Yeah of course" I lie again but it's not like I could say "No I don't want to see anyone die and I just want to go home". Somehow I don't think that would go to well.

"Do you really feel that way?" She asks, her brown eyes piercing mine. I hesitate for only a moment.

"Yes" Is all I can get out. I don't want my voice to give in to my true thoughts.

"Can you keep a secret?" She asks stopping in her tracks. I reluctantly stop too.

"Sure"

"I'm not" My right eyebrow raises in confusion.

"Huh?"

"I'm not ready for tomorrow. I mean, I'm not looking forward to it… I know as a 'career' I'm meant to be a ravenous blood-thirsty beast but honestly I'm just sick of it all" _What? A career who doesn't want to kill? Yeah right… It must be a trap… she is trying to lure me out… lure me into admitting how horrifying killing is for me. She is trying to decide whether I'm useful or not. _

"Then why volunteer?"" I ask harshly but she seems to take no notice of the tone.

"I… I… don't really know" She mutters. "I guess it's just expected. Anyone who does training is just automatically expected to volunteer once they turn fifteen. They are expected to by their peers, teachers and even family" Her face still remains emotionless; I have come to see that her face, isn't her face. It's a mask. It shelters her from being vulnerable from predators. This is something I must learn to do. It's one thing to make words sound believable but another thing entirely to play them out with expressions.

"Why hang out as part of the career pact and kill then?" _I can't buy this. What if this is all part of the trap? To lure me in with lies and finish it with a sob story? I need to keep my guard. I can't let her get anything out of me._

"Firstly for protection, they will guarantee me a place in the final seven, and I kill for the same reasons as everyone else. To get one step closer to home, to get one step closer out of this nightmare." Her eyes are still daggering into my head. I can feel the sharpness behind them.

"Oh. I have always thought that district two tributes were always willing to risk their lives just to get a hold of another's life" I say, wishing I could take it back the second I said it. I wait for the glare that is sure to follow but get nothing.

"Don't judge a book by its cover" She says almost sombrely before sealing the emotions. With these final words spoken she continues to walk. Her earlier words ring inside my head '_I kill for the same reason everyone else kills… to get one step closer to home…' Then why did that girl from five let me go so easily…_

(OOC: Thanks for reading the first chapter! The second chapter will be in Clove's POV)


	2. Wandering Eyes

(OOC: This chapter is in Clove's perspective! Please enjoy!)

**Chapter 2- Wandering Eyes**

"Guys, we're back" I say.

"About time! I'm freezing to death here!" Marvel says, whilst rubbing his arms for warmth.

"What took you so long?" Growled an annoyed Cato.

"Big words from someone who can't set up a tent by himself" I sneer. It seemed to shut Cato up.

"Someone will have to share a tent, there are only four" Marvel says.

"Well I ain't sharing" Cato snarled as he went inside the tent nearest to us. I shake my head in frustration.

"I'll share!" Glimmer yells.

"Well then I guess that means you and Clove will be sharing" Marvel announces.

"Ummm excuse me?" I say in protest. How dare they just pair me up with Glimmer like that! "Why don't you share with her Marvel? After all you are from the same district"

"I'm a guy Clove I don't think Glimmer would appreciate having a guy in her tent"

"You're a guy? Well then I guess I'm my own grandpa…" I remark, sarcastically. In response Marvel just gives me a frightening glare. I don't hesitate and return his glare with much more ferocity.

"Oh come on Clove it will be fun!" Glimmer says as she grabs my hand and drags me towards the tent. My eyes lock onto the quiet boy, standing awkwardly. I mouth the words help me but get no response. Oh no. It is too late. I am in the enemy's den.

As you probably guessed Glimmer, and me aren't exactly the most similar people on earth. Appearance and personality wise. For an example, she likes to talk about boys and I like to talk about more serious matters such as strategy and tactics.

"Sooo what do you think about the new kid?" She asks me.

"Peeta?" I ask.

"Yeah, what do you think of him?" She asks. _How do I respond? I never talk to anyone about guys… I never have time to think about guys in that way. I rank relationships somewhere between a pen that does not work and a broken light bulb. At least you can use a broken light bulb as a weapon…_

"I guess he's alright… you know if your into that type"

"Mm, well I reckon he is pretty hot…"

"Bu- hu- yo-" I stutter. How am I supposed to respond to that? _Glimmer… liking Peeta? What has the world come to?_

"What about Cato?" I asked still feeling shocked about Glimmer's 'observation'.

"He's hot too but relationships are more than just looks…" _WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?! _Glimmer must be able to see the total confusion on my face because she is elaborating. "Cato is definitely hot, and I mean definitely times ten… but Cato isn't exactly the friendliest guy. He gets way too easily aggravated… and I don't exactly want to spend my life with someone who I'm freaked out will kill me when he loses his temper…" _Her life? She does realise that this is the Hunger Games right? Where we have to brutally murder one another until one is left._ "So I think I need to see other guys... and Peeta is definitely a worthy candidate" She says smiling widely.

"You do realise once Cato sees you with another guy he will not only kill the guy but you too?"

"Exactly… so it is forbidden. Even more romantic" _Is she off her mind? The only word that could describe her at the moment is 'insane'. Would she really risk her life over a silly guy? _ "For now of course. You know until I can…" She stops talking completely and the silence drowns the two of us.

Curiosity takes its course and I am simply forced to ask. "Until you can do what?" Her eyes glance quickly left then right. She shakes her head, dismissing whatever idea she had.

"Nothing. Never mind. I shouldn't have said anything. We should get to sleep; we have a full day of hunting tomorrow. Goodnight." She turns off the torch and falls asleep almost instantly. And just like that I am left alone, with my head aching thoughts. _Until she can do what…?_

My eyes flicker open. Something is wrong. I grab the torch and turn it on. My eyes are greeted by nothing but a pair of sleeping bags. Where is Glimmer? I reach for my throwing knives before crawling out of the tent. The moon creates only a tiny amount of light and is positioned close to the horizon. I look around to see the other tents scattered around the lake. But where is Glimmer? Something moves in the corner of my eye. I grasp a knife and prepare to throw. I walk closer to the movement; ah I can see it a bit better now. The silhouette is a ball shape, which appears to be... shaking? _Is it a wild dog? A mutt? _I position my knife carefully, bring it back steadily…

"Clove, stop!" I jump and turn to the voice. It's Marvel. "It's just district three" I let out a silent sigh of relief, glad of not having to kill anything.

"What are you doing out here?" I ask him now that my heart beat has begun to return to normal.

"I was just going to the toilet if you must know. Now why are you out here?"

"Glimmer isn't in the tent. I'm looking for her"

"She's fine… I saw her heading to the cornucopia. Now I'm going back to sleep. I suggest you do the same if you want to be ready for tomorrow"

"Please, I'm always ready you go back to your precious sleep while I go check what Glimmer is up to"

"Suit yourself" He shrugs before walking back to his tent. _Why would Glimmer be at the cornucopia? _

It's a three hundred metre walk through fog to get there at this time of night and I nearly go face first into a tree on the way over. The fog is really starting to thicken now. I can barely see five metres in front of me. I am about to turn back when I hear her voice.

"Isn't it just beautiful out here?" I instantly freeze taken aback by the sudden sound. I look around me and see no one. _How can she see me? I haven't been noisy with my footsteps; I know that for a fact._

"Yeah, it is. Why did you want me to come up here though?" My heart skips a beat. She is talking to Peeta! Why would someone pick this time of night to flirt with a guy?

"I just wanted to talk, that's all. I guess we don't have to if you don't want" She has put her sweet voice on… I gag at the thought of someone lowering themselves to talk like that. I inch towards the voices slowly.

"No, I'm good to talk. I just don't understand why you would want to talk to me. I mean why not Cato? You guys seem to have something going on between you two. Or Clove? Who you offered to share your tent with. Or why not Marvel? After all you guys would have the most in common being from the same district" I can now see the metallic wall in front of me.

"Because you're a mystery. You barely talk unless you're forced to. I'm trying to figure you out." _Should I break this conversation up?_

"Well what do you want to know about me?" _Hmm no, I want to see what happens._

"I want to know your story" I sit myself by the back of the cornucopia, where I can remain incognito. My ears sharpen. _I guess it would be helpful to know a few things about the new guy…_

"Well… where do I begin? I'm the youngest of three boys. The oldest one's nineteen, his names Ryan and the other one is eighteen, Dutch. Umm, my parents own a bakery, which is where I work every moment when I'm not in school… and that about sums up my life."

"You work in a bakery? That is so cool!"

"Well I love to bake, what about you?"

"Well I am an only child, my parents are Jewellers but I am not interested much in taking over the family business. My parents are forcing me to take over it though. This is why I am here" Surprise is painted thickly over my face. _Wow. I would have just assumed she just wanted the honour of competing… as it is in district two…_

"You volunteered just so you didn't have to take over the business?" By the sound of Peeta's voice it seems he is just as surprised as me.

"I know it sounds crazy but in a way it is a win-win situation… If I win the games I will be rich and won't have to get a job or take over any business. If I die… I won't have to spend the rest of my life doing something I despise."

"Death would be a form of escape on its own" Peeta agrees.

"Well I'm not going to try and die straight away and I hope you aren't either"

"Why would you care? One more death means you're one step closer to home"

"Because you are intriguing, and I still have to figure you out." I hear Peeta laugh.

"Oh really? What makes me so intriguing then?"

"Everything about you, your posture, your appearance, your shy frontier and your interview was definitely more than interesting… Do you really like that girl?"

"Yes I do. I know this isn't the greatest place to be having love for other people but it doesn't stop you and Cato" I desperately try to hold in my laughter. _That one definitely blew up in her face! I can't wait to see what she has to say to that!_

"Can you keep a secret?" she whispers. I have to stand back up just to make the words audible.

"Sure"

"He abuses me"

"What?"

"He abuses me. Whenever I say something he doesn't agree to he gets violent…"

"You mean he results in physical contact?" Peeta's voice is full of concern. _That's not what she told me. Funny that…_

"See this? Cato did this to me just two nights ago"

"Oh my gosh Glimmer, are you okay?"

"It's not as bad as it looks luckily. I'm just afraid with what he would do if I told him it was over" Her voice is gone into a frightened high-pitched mode. _Wow. She is good._

"So what are you going to do?"

"I guess my only choice is to act like his girlfriend whenever I'm around him… It just makes it so hard when I have feelings for someone else"

"Who?"

"Hey guys! What are you two doing out here this late at night?" I suddenly say, breaking up whatever outcome was going to come off their conversation. I climb up the cornucopia joining the two tributes.

"Hey Clove" Peeta is the first to greet. I can see by Glimmer's eyes that she isn't exactly thrilled by my presence.

"We were just talking, what are you doing out here?" Glimmer asks, trying deeply to keep the anger out of her voice. It works too, just.

"I was looking for you. I woke up and you were gone. Do you mind if I join your conversation?" I ask almost cheekily.

"Actually we were kind of talking about something private" Glimmer says.

"Oh, I almost forgot the reason why I woke. Cato barged in. He asked where you were. He seemed pretty angry… you might want to get back quickly before he ends up doing something terrible" One look at Glimmer's face shows my triumph. She wouldn't dare break her cover to Peeta about this whole abusing thing, then there would be no hope for them to be together…

"You better go Glimmer. I don't want anything horrible to happen to you. Who knows what will happen if you leave it for too late" Peeta says, his voice filled with worry. He is such a sympathetic person. Peeta and I are both looking at Glimmer now, frustration lathering her face. To Peeta this would be a normal reaction to this situation. Only I know the real reason…

"We can talk later, don't worry" Peeta tells her.

"See you later" She says angrily as she reluctantly slides down the golden wall and ventures into the foggy abyss.

"We should probably get back… and get some sleep before tomorrow" Peeta says.

"You tired?" I ask.

"Not really, but I'm a realistic. We are going to need our strength"

"You're probably right. Let's head then?" I say and in response he slides down the wall and waits for me. I jump off, not bothering to slide and land on an unprepared Peeta. "Sorry, are you okay?" My eyes lock onto his. Peeta laughs before slowly getting up.

"Yeah don't worry about me I am fine. Are you alright?" I nod in reply. Still watching him for bruises or any damage I could have inflicted on him.

"So how are you fitting into our little circle?"

"I'm not really sure, Glimmer and you have seemed to welcome me but the guys are a little more resistant…"

"Don't worry Cato's always that way with everyone" _Apparently even his girlfriend…_

"Yeah, he does kind of give me that impression" He agrees.

We have walked one hundred metres when I notice that Peeta is limping. _Oh no. I hope I didn't permanently screw up his leg… _"Here let me give you a hand with that" I say as I wrap his arm around my shoulder, offering him support.

"Thanks" He says, in return for my help he gives me a wide smile. I have never seen such a genuine smile anywhere. We manage to hobble over to the lake in a matter of time. I guide him towards his tent where he gladly crawls in. "I really appreciate that Clove" He speaks softly.

"Well I did cause the damage, so it's only fair. I'll let you get some rest now. Your leg is going to definitely need it" I walk back towards where my tent lays where no doubt an unhappy Glimmer rests.

(OOC: I hope you enjoyed it, if not message me why so I can improve my skills as a writer! Don't be shy! Reviews are gladly accepted! Oh and next chapter is in Foxface's POV)


	3. Surreptitious Stealth

(OOC: Thanks for sticking with me for this long! This chapter is in Foxface's POV)

**Chapter 3 – Surreptitious Stealth  
**

Morning emerges, slowly but surely. Another day brings another careful watch. It is the second day in the games and the sun is burning me to a crisp. My fair skin does not handle sunlight very well, as I have previously found out. One day I had fallen asleep in my backyard and woke up hours later with terrible sunburn. I could barely move; it was hell trying to get inside! To think about the past is torture. To see something so vivid but to know that you can never reach it is a hell of its own sort. I am here now. No longer in the sanctuary I call home.

I remove myself from the tree I had previously slept in. It was an extremely uncomfortable night, but I didn't have many other options as to where to sleep. My number one priority at the moment is survival. Nothing is more important. How I long to see the smiling faces of my friends again, to be greeted by my parents warm embrace. No. None of that, I do not have the time. I force myself to get closer, closer to trouble. I race quietly towards a nice thick tree; from where I should be able to hear what is happening, apparently not much. Silence fills the air. The only sound I do hear is the occasional grunt of the district three boy. He is hard at work, placing mines in holes he has dug around the pile of supplies. I had heard the careers talking yesterday about it. It still surprises me even now, after a whole day to sleep on it that someone could have the potential to do such a thing. My stomach growls involuntarily and I duck to the ground hoping he hadn't heard anything. A few moments pass until I feel it's safe to come back up. My eyes lock onto his back; good he is still hard at work. I lick my lips, attempting to gain some wetness to them; I haven't eaten or drunk anything since I have been here. The edible plants must be further in the forest because I haven't seen any yet. I desperately need some type of liquid. My eyes rest on the lake. _Mm if only I can allow my tongue the coolness it so desperately needs…_

My eyes look back at the boy. _Could I get to the lake without alerting him?_ I calculate the distance in my head; _it looks about forty metres from where I am standing… I'm fairly fast it should take me about… five and a half seconds… a drink should take me about thirty seconds to fill myself up and getting back should take me another 5 and a half… so about 40 seconds, okay here I go._

My heart is racing before I even take off. Once I do though each beating feels like a miniature nuclear explosion going off within me. _Thirty metres…_ My hair sails backwards like a kite in gale strength winds._ Twenty… _My feet pounding against the ground in silence stumble. There is no time to think, I am falling. I roll when I hit the ground eliminating a lot of the sound. I gaze back to where the boy is sitting, _No disturbance… _I breathe a sigh of relief and get up and sprint the last twenty metres. I bring my cupped hands to the water and deliver the long awaited succulence to my mouth. The feel of its cold tendrils weaving their way down my parched throat and into my now expanding stomach gives me goosebumps. My reflection stares back at me silently. As I look deeply into it I cannot help but think of how I look exactly like what I am named after. My red hair, my eyes that stand out due to the auburn of my hair, my slender nose, I look just like my name; Finch.

After several drinks from the water I give myself the five and a half seconds to get back but it seems I will not be on time because staring back at me is the face of the district three boy and in his hand is a sharp-looking spear. "Well, well, what do we have here?" His voice taunts. My hand slides back towards the pointed blade in my pocket that I had taken off Peeta last night. He throws the spear he had been holding to the left of him. I raise my left eyebrow in confusion and he seems to notice. "Please if I wanted to kill you I would have done it last night. I saw you sneaking around in the forest, watching us" _Argh. And all this time I thought I was undiscovered. _ My hand relaxes a bit but refuses to let go of the knife. Like I said, survival is my first priority and I am not about to let that slip because my guard was down. You know how they say the best defence is a good offence? Well to me the best defence is caution. You can never be overpowered with caution…

"Who else knows about me?" I demand more so than ask.

"No one, I haven't told anyone and don't worry I will remain silent, but I am rather curious as to why you have been spying on us" You know how I said the best defence is caution? Well I find the best offence to investigate. To learn all there is possible about your opponents.

"How do I know you won't alert them, when they get back?" I ask, completely dismissing his previous question. My hand tightens again.

"Just because I am allied with them doesn't mean I like them. I know my odds of winning are extremely dismal if our alliance makes it to the end. I am not exactly in any shape to take any of them on and live"

"So what you're saying is you want them gone?" I ask surprised. He nods his head slightly and turns around to make sure none of them are lurking around. "We should probably move somewhere more discreet…"

"No, they are off hunting. They probably won't be back until tomorrow. You want the careers gone too right?" I just glare at him as if he had asked the dumbest question in the world, because if you think about it, it probably was the dumbest question ever… "Right, sorry, of course you do. Well if we both want the same thing…"

"Are you proposing an alliance with me?" I asked stunned.

"I guess so, what do you say?" I hesitate for a moment. _Do I dare trust someone else? I have always seen myself as a lone wolf, but having help surely wouldn't hurt my chances…_

"I'm in."

"My name's Ian by the way"

"Finch"

"Nice name. You look hungry. Want something to eat?" I nod. As if on cue my stomach growls again, and I am forced to laugh. "I'm guessing from your spying you have realised what I am doing, yes?"

"You are booby trapping the supplies, right?"

"Yes, well I have to make it still accessible for the Careers to get to. So I am making a certain pathway. I just need to put this one in the ground and then I can show you" He says as he lowers to the ground. I suddenly feel extremely uneasy. I feel as if I am about to be ambushed. I stare around me but find no one. _Maybe I'm just paranoid… No, my instincts are generally spot on._ I am just about to dash off into the safety of the forest when his voice stops me in my tracks.

"Okay, all done" He says as he pats the ground cautiously.

"Ian. If this is some kind of trap you will be dead before you know it" I say as I bring a raised fist to his face.

"Okay. It's not though. Honestly. The Careers, all of them went hunting at the crack of dawn. Did you hear the cannon, in the early morning?" He asks.

"No…"

"Well it was most likely from them. I watched how far the hovercraft went, it went a few kilometres that way before stopping" He tells me pointing towards a forest in the opposite direction from the tree in which I had taken rest in. I listen to his words, they sound genuine. _Surely such genuine words couldn't be one big lie…_ So I set my paranoia back into the corner of my mind. In other words I let my guard down.

Ian walks about ten metres backwards, pulling me by the arm with him. He comes to a stop and bends down to a switch that is connected by wire that trails towards where he had buried the mines before disappearing underneath. He flicks it on and I, by reflex tense. No explosions though. Good. I'd prefer to be in one piece. "Systems are a go. Come with me" He says once again pulling me. "Okay, you see the mounds?" I nod. "Well those are the safe parts. Step onto the flat part and your dead. Your body will be in a million pieces and they will never be able to put you back together. You get it?" I gulp but still nod. "You ready to try it out?"

"What?! No way. Nu-uh, I am not going in there. I think I'll rather stay here, where it's safe." Before I know it the crazy kid is in the air, sailing over where one mine rests before landing on a big mound.

"See, safe!" He shouts as he hops to the next one. In six jumps he is at the pyramid of supplies. "Come on! I'm not always going to be able to get you food. You will have to do it by yourself. It will be good practise." That's when it hit me. He was going to make me suicide. He was going to lure me into suicide while the whole time cheering on my death.

I push the thought back into my head. _If he wanted to kill me he could have simply pushed me in. And besides I saw him make the jumps. I'll just take the exact same course._ And before I know it I am a finch. I am flying ever so gracefully towards my destination and like a finch I evade the predators with ease, simply taking off before they can get near me. I am riding the wind. My last jump is finally made and I stand next to Ian who smiles, impressed.

"Good work, now you have to be careful with how much you take. You can't let them know someone is taking their supplies"

"Yes, I will just take a little bit of each, that shouldn't cause suspicion right?" He nods. I reach for two apples, a few crackers and a small packet of dried fruit. "Can we get out of this minefield? It's making me a little uneasy…" After our voyage back I chuck him an apple.

"Thanks, do you still want to go somewhere a little more secluded?" He asks me.

"Yeah let's head over to where I stayed last night. It has a fair bit of cover from unwanted eyes" I tell him as I lead the way. I hear his footsteps behind me. _So he trusts me already… doesn't he realise this could be a trap? That I am leading him somewhere away from where anyone can see us and that he doesn't have a weapon yet I have a dagger…wait, no, he doesn't know I have a weapon yet. What if he is using this as a trap for me? He probably believes he could overpower me fairly easy especially since he thinks I trust him. Well jokes on him… _My fingers entwine the hilt of the dagger, inside my pocket once again.

"We should be alone here" I tell him, all the while my hand preparing its self to defend his attack.

"Good. So do you have any idea on how to do it?" He whispers. I just give him a confused look in response. "Kill them. Eliminate the careers." My eyes brighten. I have an idea…

"What if we use the mines to our advantage?" I smile eerily. I can tell be the smile he is giving me back that he likes this idea. "Not yet of course. It wouldn't be fair to you after you have dug them all"

"Let's do it"

"How long does it take to set them up?" I ask.

"Well it took me about six hours…"

"Well it will only take three hours between the two of us… we will leave it until tomorrow or the day after. Though… we are going to need a distraction"

"We could just do it now… they should be gone for a while still" I look up into the sky, it is getting dark.

"No. They will have to come back to sleep. Plus I would rather not play with explosives by nightfall…" I laugh lightly.

"True"

"You should probably be getting back before they arrive. You don't want to create any suspicion with your absence"

"Hmm, you're right. Will you be here tomorrow?"

"Well I don't plan on dying throughout the night, so I guess that's a yes from me" I laugh again.

"Okay I guess I'll see you then" He says as he turns around and starts to walk away. I run up to him and grab his wrist, causing him to jump.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to freak you; I just wanted to say thanks for the food"

"No, thank you for the alliance and hope" He tells me as he turns again, my fingers loosening on his wrist and brushing against his smooth skin.

"Bye" I whisper to myself. I turn in the opposite direction to where Ian and I had previously sat and pick up the packet of dried fruit, the only remaining food that had been scavenged from the pyramid of goodies. My brain tells me to pick another tree, further up. Just in case he decides he wants to turn me in to them. It's not that I don't trust him; I do. It's just that I like to be on the safe side of things; always. I look at my skin; it is a rosy pink, which seems to reflect the colour of the current setting sun. I'm just glad I didn't get too badly burnt. After what feels to be about twenty five minutes of walking I feel I can rest in ease with the knowledge of no one knowing my whereabouts. _Now If I can just find a good place to sleep… _My eyes reluctantly look up to the tree about me. To be honest, I really don't want to sleep in a tree again. My back still hurts from my previous slumber conditions. That's when I see something; something so unnoticeable that it is amazes me that I saw it. Dark green shrubbery surrounding it, long vines twirling down the rocky side of it; it is a small black hole. I smile as I gaze across at it, and take pace towards my new residential property…

After a few minutes more of walking I am here. I am at the opening of a small cave, a cave that is incognito from plain view. I look at the front of it. It looks excellent. No one should notice. As I crawl in I silently thank God for my keen eye for detail. It is small but cosy. I have just enough room to sit up in it without my head touching the roof of the cavern.

My hands lift the dried fruit packet and open it without hesitation. I will be able to get supplies easily now so there is not much point of rationing. Of course this doesn't stop me though. I eat a quarter of the packet and sit the rest to the right of me. As I lay down my mind goes over the events of today and I can't help but think of Ian… and Peeta._ What is it about him that makes me so worried for him? I have only talked to him once… and that was when I had held a knife to his throat… _I think a part of me does know though; it is something in his eyes, those bright blue eyes of his that makes him look… innocent… pure. I don't want that to be ruined. But that is not the only reason. My mind races backwards, through time until I am standing in the training room. Standing in front of me is the boy with the sweet blue eyes. He is smiling at me. It isn't a snarling grin, it isn't a frightened smile; no it is a smile that is hidden from all wickedness and pain; hidden from horror and suffering. It is a smile that knows no evil. It is a smile that is vibrant as the sun. It is a smile that can be only be defined as 'pulchritudinous'; it is perfection in every aspect of the word.

I am awoken from my daydreaming by the booming anthem. I crawl out just in time to see the face of the district eight girl disappearing in the darkness. _Was that the only death? Did I miss someone?_I crawl back into my cave and make a mental note to ask Ian about it tomorrow.

"Good night Panem, this is Finch Tugella signing out" I announce to where I presume a camera would be located. I have always wanted to do that, to say that on television. Granted it may not be a news channel and granted it may be a fight to the death where only one of us can come out on top but nothing can take away the special feeling that is left. I lay down and dead air drowns my ears. My eyes fall without hesitation and just like that I am no longer in a world of death.

(OOC: Review! Please?! *cries because no one has reviewed* Oh sorry for that... next chapter gets a little saucy… (lemon) Cato's POV next! Just want to tell you that every time I write a chapter time is always going forwards in the story. As in, the first chapter, Peeta's POV is the first day where as the second chapter, Clove's POV, takes place directly after)


	4. Burning Desire

(OOC: Here's what you guys have all been waiting for! Cato's POV! Warning: If you do not like smut, beware)

**Chapter 4- Burning Desire**

Looking at her is to stare deep within my soul. She is my love; she is my everything. I'll admit when she first asked me I was a little taken aback, to say the least but now I can see the light. I can see her in it, for the first time and wow, she is absolutely ravishing. When we had first started dating I was only humouring myself. I mean, I know she is hot but she definitely was not my type persona wise. But these last few weeks with her have been the best of my life. She has been nothing but amazing. Her green eyes resembling the precious jewel she is to me. No, she is much more. Words aren't even big enough to describe what she is to me. I'm that in love.

"Cato, don't you know it's rude to stare?" Glimmer teases me.

"Well when someone possess such beauty it's hard to do otherwise" I tell her softly. She leans in towards me and kisses me lightly on the forehead. "What? That's all I get?" I laugh.

"No this is all you get…" She leans in again and presses her hands on my face; they carry so much warmth… she parts her lips and before I even know it I am doing the same. Our lips meet and I feel as if I am in heaven. Her moist lips are so delicate and soft against mine. Our tongues meet and I am no longer in heaven but in an extreme state of ecstasy. I can taste the apple on her tongue, it is so sweet. Her coolness makes my heated tongue come to normal, her tongue slides down mine until it leaves its territory all together. "For now…" She says mischievously. I grin cheekily, looking forward to later.

Today is another hunting day and I am leading the pack. I turn towards everyone else, where my eyes rest on Glimmer. _No, no time to get into a romance at the moment. We both know that when we are hunting we are only hunting. There is no mix of romance. We have to keep our heads clear.  
_"I have a feeling that today is when we will find her" I tell them. Clove and Glimmer both look glad to hear that, Marvel shows no expression, I don't think he honestly cares about this girl. He is going on looks though. She looks small and weak on the outside sure, but she must have had to do something truly extravagant to win the favour over from the gamemakers. Peeta doesn't make eye contact, his eyes burrowing at the ground. I smile to myself, maybe making him watch his girl die will be consequent enough for his failure to provide at the blood bath.

I turn towards the forest in front of me; Clove assures me she went this way, she told me that after she missed her with her knife she ran towards these woods. She wouldn't lie about that surely, why would she want Katniss to be alive any longer than I do? Exactly, she wouldn't. She was just as upset when she was outscored. I remember that night all too well… that's enough of that because like I said, today is hunting. I don't like to get my personal life mixed up with that.

We walk onwards for hours until we unanimously decide that it must be lunch time. Peeta hands out the food we brought; five bags of jerky, five packets of dried apples and five apples. Mm apple still lingers of apple from my tongue across with Glimmer.

As I bite into my apple it only reminds me more of our love, which seems to only strengthen out here. Don't get me wrong, I know that out here is the Hunger Games and all, which only makes it stranger to think that we are getting closer, with the knowledge that the other's survival means our own demise. _Would I give up my life for her though? _I shake the question out of my head. I can't think like this. To leave myself in solitude is to be eaten away by my inner thoughts. I can't allow that.  
"Okay, let's keep searching" I demand as I walk off impatiently. I don't even bother to turn around and see if they are following me. If they know what's good for them they will follow without hesitation. At least if I am doing something my mind is preoccupied, no more stifling questions from it.

A branch snaps and I immediately look up.

"Shh" I say, hushing the discussion between Clove, Peeta and Glimmer. Clove usually isn't the talkative type so it's strange to see her making small talk so fluently. Glimmer on the other hand is a bit of a chatterbox… and I love that about her. Their eyes all train on the trees around us, looking for the soon to be victim. I see a shaking of a tree and immediately tell the others. The shaking continues to switch between trees. Whoever the evader is, they are moving quickly. I force myself to sprint behind and the others have taken queue behind me. I can't really do much though, she is moving too fast for me to climb a tree and take them out and my sword isn't exactly a long ranged weapon. Marvel on the other hand has his spear aimed.

In one swift movement he launches it towards the retreater. A small high-pitched scream is let out. One that could only be from a young girl… the spear just misses her by the breadth of a hair. She hesitates a little before she makes her next movement. Glimmer raises her bow and arrow and by instinct I duck. What happens next surprises me. Her arrow hits the tree she is on. She almost skewers the girl. I just stare at her in amazement. She doesn't return the stare and instead loads her bow again. I watch her as she takes aim. I watch her hair sit gracefully over her shoulder. I watch her arm pull the bow back gracefully. I watch her let the arrow go; gracefully and I watch the arrow not-so-gracefully hit Clove in the shoulder.

Clove hits the ground with plenty of force.  
"Oh my gosh Clove are you okay?" Peeta shouts as he runs towards her.  
"I've been better…" She whispers, the pain clearly audible in her voice.  
"Clove I am so sorry! I didn't mean to!" Glimmer shrieks. I watch for a little as one by one they all join her side, Peeta, Glimmer and Marvel. Peeta takes the arrow out before taking off his shirt and wrapping it around her wound to prevent the blood escaping. I cannot help but let out a small snicker. _He only has a six pack... shame much?_My humour disintegrates and realisation hits me…

"Well I guess that is the end of today's hunting" I say; perhaps a little too cold-heartedly because Glimmer is glaring at me. How terrible it looks too. It's such a transformation from the madly-in-love expressions we usually share. _Damn, now she thinks I'm a horrible person. _I walk over to the frail figure on the ground and pick her up.  
"We better head back to camp" I say as I lean her over my shoulder and walk the opposite direction.

After an awkward long walk we arrive at the camp. I lay Clove down carefully on the grass.  
"Clove, you still with us?" I ask.  
"Yes, I don't plan on going anywhere" She mutters, still in pain. Marvel races towards the supply pyramid before jumping strangely to get the last way to it. He comes back with a first aid kit which he opens and throws the contents on the ground in front of us. Peeta grabs some painkillers and hands two to Clove as well as his water bottle. After what seems like an eternity to take two swallows Clove tells us she is really tired. I pick her up… again and carry her to her tent. She falls asleep instantly. I walk back towards the others who have seemed to have found another topic to talk about.  
"Who do you think the tribute was?" Glimmer asks.  
"I don't know but one thing was for sure she was a girl" Marvel says.  
"She sounded pretty young…" Peeta says.  
"What does it matter? She got away. Now we are going to have hunt her back down again. If only Clove hadn't stood in the way we would have taken her out!" I shout at them, peeved at how close we were to having been one step closer to winning.  
"Clove was nowhere near the tree! Glimmer was the one with the terrible aim!" Peeta shouts at me. _Who does he think he is, raging at me and calling my word useless?_ Anger burns inside of me and my energy is only now fuelled by revenge. I ball my fist and release my anger towards him. **CRACK**is the sound made as my fist comes in contact with his chin.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" I roar at him as I punch him in the gut. He falls over in pain but I wasn't going to let him get off so easy. I can hear screaming all around but I cannot make the words out. Hatred deafens me with its sweet calling. Peeta is now curled up into a small ball on the ground. I bring my leg backwards and then thrust it viciously towards him where I can feel his organs part for me. "You have no right to say that about Glimmer!" I kick him again and I can see the blood pour out. It dampens the grass around him. I kick him again and I can feel the sticky treacle being absorbed by my shoes. Again and again, I can feel his body's position loosening and releasing.

"Stop, Cato! Please!" This is the one voice that could ever control me. It is the only voice I can ever yield to. I turn to face her. I can see the pain in her face, the tears in her eyes. _What have I done? _I have gone and made the only person in the world who I am sure I love, upset.

"Glimmer… I'm-" I stutter. Seeing her in pain is torture. I reach for her hand which she just pushes away and steps away from me. _She is disgusted by me… no, worse she is frightened by me._I can feel my heart break in two, right here and right now. "Glimmer I'm sorry!" I say as I step towards her but am greeted by only a violent shake of her head. She turns form me and runs away, her face buried in her palms. My mind is void of everything except fear, hurt and hatred; not hatred aimed at Peeta but hatred of myself. I involuntarily let out a tortured howl at the top of my lungs. I don't care how ridiculous it makes me look, I don't care what everyone else thinks about me; I don't care about anything. I storm off leaving a deeply confused Marvel by the lifeless body.

Where am I going? It doesn't matter. I just need to be alone for a while and hopefully give Glimmer a bit of time to calm down. I don't know if I could go on without her love. _Come on Cato, you are stronger than this._I shake myself out and I know I am. I'm not sure how, but I know I will get through this… with or without Glimmer. "Who am I kidding? Glimmer please come back to me" I say aloud. After twenty or so minutes I slump to the ground in a place surrounded by rock and vines. I pick up a rock that is in front of a rocky wall. It feels to be about eight kilograms. Sadness wells up in me again and I curl into a ball in grief. This state of depression is just too much for me. I need an escape from it. I uncurl myself and get up. The rock sits peacefully in front of me. How its hardness looks so inviting…

I pick it up in one swift movement and peg it at my foot. A blood curdling scream leaves my mouth as the tonne of force hits its target and I double over in pain. I take off my shoe and sock to see what damage I had inflicted upon myself. My foot lies at an unnatural angle and the top of my foot looks to be indented. A second wave of pain hits me and I roll over in agony, where I bury my face in the ground.

Suddenly all is silent. I am left with my recurring thoughts… but not for long. The silence is broken and I can hear footsteps. _Someone has come to finish me. Well I don't care anymore… they can have me. _  
"Cato?" _Glimmer? Could it really be her? It has to be. There is no other voice as sweet. _I force myself to roll over and am graced by the blonde's presence.  
"I'm sorry Glimmer"

"What?" Her sweet lips say.

"Can you forgive me? Please…" I beg.

"I don't know what you are going on about"

"Does that mean you forgive me?"

"Umm okay?" _She forgives me! _I try to get up but my foot doesn't allow me that pleasure. I wince in pain as the slightest pressure is applied.

"Can you come closer? Please?" I see the girl reach for something in her pocket. "Please?" Glimmer comes closer, her hand still in her pocket. She is in reaching range now. I grab her arm and pull her closer. Something falls out of her hand but I couldn't be bothered about that now, because now I get to hold her in my arms. I apply my hand to her face and kiss her. My tongue leaves my mouth and I am back in ecstasy. No, more. Her kiss is so much more heartfelt than the one we had shared this morning. She doesn't taste like apples but instead peaches. It tastes so much better on her tongue. After a minute of the most passionate kiss I have ever had she pulls back. I don't blame her though, we both need to breathe. She goes to grab whatever had previously fallen out of her hand but I do not allow her. I want to cherish this moment forever. I bring her closer to me again, just grabbing her arm before she had slipped out of my reach. I'm not going to let her go so easily this time. I want her; no need her to stay with me. I hold her on my lap and this time embrace her with locking arms.

"I'm so sorry… I really am. I should have never lost my temper like that" I whisper into her ear. "I love you and nothing will ever change that" Her sweet scent is even more ambrosial to my nose than normal. "I'm never going to let my temper ever get in the way again"

She says nothing. Not that she needs to. I would prefer to just sit with her in silence and admire her grace and beauty. The temperature is dropping, as the afternoon sun lowers itself onto the horizon. Though it is cool, I have never felt so warm and secure.

I press my hand against her face, its coolness transacting through my hot veins. I can no longer feel the pain from my foot. Her presence is just too numbing. I slide it down her face slowly, basking in its smoothness. My hand travels down her neck and is replaced by my lips. I peck her neck gently as our arms remain in the ever-locked embrace. My hands reach up inside the back of her shirt. She tenses at first but relaxes shortly after. Before I know it, my hands have minds of their own and they are feeling every little inch of her back; her flawless back. No bump, no scar reigns here. My tongue misses the flavour of her peachy mouth and I have never been one to deny it anything it desires so why start now? I bring my mouth to hers, her fruity flavour returning to my tongue. My hands are getting bored and their desire is so much stronger than my mouth's. I pull my mouth away and grant them the relief they need. They move around her waist lustfully until they come across her stomach, where they spend some time but it doesn't take long to realise her stomach is just as flawless as her back. I caress her stomach until I can no longer stand it. My arms are now shaking from the intense desire they hold. I cannot help it anymore; I push my hand up forcefully, penetrating the gap at the bottom of her bra. She lets out a moan; she too, has become dominated by desire.

I rip off my and her shirt as quick as possible. I push her to the ground before removing her trousers. The only thing holding back her full naked body from me is a few garments… I lay on top of her as I insert my tongue back into her mouth once more. My hands are going crazy with lust. They head to the clip of the bra whilst my tongue is still preoccupied. My hand fumbles, thanks to the overdose on pure hormones but I eventually get it, savouring every moment. I cannot wait any longer… the bra is flung off as quickly as it takes me too part my lips with hers. I look down at her dominatingly; her breasts are fully developed and perfectly rounded. It takes all my will to not dive in and satisfy her supple pink nipples right there and now, my mouth touches hers again. My hands refuse to be tamed though; they squeeze her bountiful breasts in relish. They are so spongy and soft. My lips never break contact as my hands play with the delectable putty. My fingers brush against her nipple which instantly hardens. I gently grasp them between my fingers and press lightly. Her busy mouth stifles out a slight moan. My lips part once again and they slowly trail down her neck and towards her curved breasts. I kiss her right nipple softly and I feel her shiver. I move my face to her left nipple where I do the same but this time I suck hard. Her perked nub turns much harder… and so have I. My erection is protruding my shorts. I need to take them off… now. I take them off as quickly as I possibly can. Her eyes exploring me, as if it was the first time she had ever laid eyes upon it. I watch as her eyes lower down to my briefs where my raging hard-on has made a tent. I slowly pull them off, letting her savour the moment. My throbbing erection bounces out. My hardened cock sits horizontally for her to gawk at. She is impressed… I get back on top of her and lower myself until I am looking at her panties. I need to see the beauty underneath, the lust in which they possess. My tongue lolls out and is bringing the thin layer of material that is keeping me from her, down. She is perfect.

My tongue is put to good use and I service my lady with great passion. I intrude her as far as my tongue reaches. She lets out moans of passion. My right hand snakes down towards my erection and I start pounding it.

I cannot keep myself away from her any more. And like two opposite magnetic poles I am pulled to her; in one movement I am inside her. She tenses in pain and I allow her a little while to relax. When I feel her body calming I start to thrust my hips, harder and harder. Her yells of pain are soon drowned out by screams of pure lust. Her body convulses like crazy and I know she is about to climax. I speed up, shoving all eight inches harder and harder into her.  
"Oh my gosh! YES!" She screams. I take this as the cue to speed up even more. I am a blur, moving insider her and out. Her body tenses and she is a goner. The feel of her orgasm sends me off instantly; sticky substances jetting into her.

I remove my depleting hard-on and hop off Glimmer. She turns around and is now slipping on her undergarments.  
"What's the rush babe?" She doesn't answer me. She is now putting her trousers on.  
"Babe?" I ask again confused by the silence. _She isn't angry at me surely? Not after having sex?  
_She continues to pay no attention to me and is now fully dressed. I grab her shoulder and turn her towards me, only to see her blonde hair slowly fading away and her green eyes slipping from me... _No… it can't be… I saw Glimmer!_She sees the expression on my face and quickly grabs something on the floor. The thing she had dropped previously. She turns away and starts sprinting. I get one glimpse of the item in her hand and am instantly paralyzed, because the object in her hand is a dagger.

(OOC: Review guys! Who is the mystery girl? All will be revealed next chapter! Message me if you have ideas on story, and I can consider it!)


	5. Endless Torment

(OOC:I have been working like crazy to get this up! I have made a new record for myself in a publish (2 days =D) Katniss's POV! Let me know what you think)

**Chapter 5- Endless Torment**  
I walk to the river, I need to bathe. I need to feel less dirty. _What have I done? _I have never done such a thing before. I hope that the water can wash it away but I have a feeling that this dirt goes deeper than the surface. _What was I supposed to do? I couldn't get away from him. I have seen him in training. I know how strong he is. He could have snapped my neck in the blink of an eye. Obviously he was in pain. Perhaps that was what caused him to see Glimmer? My mother has had a few patients that would be hallucinating when in excruciating agony. She says the body releases a numbing toxin that affects people's vision and causes them to see what they want._ I take of my clothes and slowly submit myself to the coolness of the water. _I had no choice but to be victimized. If I said anything, I could have snapped him out of it; and then his wrath would have been upon me; though he did see me… as me… eventually. I'm just glad his reaction time was terrible._ I dip my head into the water and am instantly taken aback by the chill. _How could my plans have gone so wrong?_ _In any other situation I could have found the concept of this hilarious… but of course it's not. The idea of someone coming to kill someone but then making love with them is… unique. I couldn't have escaped though. He had me pinned beneath him…beneath his muscular body…  
_  
I snap out of it as I dip beneath the water once again. This time the water is refreshing on my skin. It doesn't do much to regain the innocence I had lost, though; it helps me to forget about it. I reach up to my mattered hair and push my fingers through it. How gritty it feels. _What if I have screwed up the whole star-crossed lover thing? After all this is viewed on national television. Everyone will know about our scandal. Argh; great… maybe they will see it as rape. I hope so… because that was what it was and I don't want all of Peeta's hard work to go to waste. _I keep stroking my hair viciously in the water. I can feel the knots loosening. _But then again hasn't Peeta already ruined it? I saw him yesterday morning… with the careers. He was leading them towards me! The nerve of him… _My hair is returning to its normal volume. _Should I really be judging him? He knows I am one of the biggest threats in this game. He is just trying to get home. Well so am I._And that's when I decide I will no longer have anything to do with the boy with the bread. I surface from the water and walk over to the rock beside my clothes. I lay on the warm rock and find instant relief from all these unanswerable questions. I can feel the water on me drying. Somehow in all of this mess my body manages to relax. My eyes manage to close. My mind manages to… forget.

* * *

I am awoken by the sound of fire crackling. _What the hell? _I turn to face the noise and am greeted by an inferno of fire, several metres tall. _Damn these gamemakers! _I get up and am ready to run when I remember I am not wearing anything. _Crap._ I quickly scoop my clothes and shoes up in one arm and start running. There is no time to stop and put my clothes on now._ Please don't let me run into anyone… not like this at least! _I suddenly recall that I am on the one TV show that everyone is forced to watch… where right now everyone is staring at me. This is most likely the most interesting thing that has happened today... besides from my little endeavor just before of course...

_I wonder if my mother is watching? I wonder how embarrassed she is feeling. Prim wouldn't be seeing me. At least not yet; I think today is a school day, which means she will probably see me as they go over the highlights of the day at the end of the night. Great…_

My cheeks are forced to blush in shame but I have a feeling they were already bright red from the heat. I glance over my shoulder and see that the wall of flames is still chasing me. I exert my legs to the max and push on. Another though finds its way into my head: _Is Gale watching? _Surely he must be. He is my best friend of course he would be. _What does he think of me? Does he think that my true colours have emerged? That I'm a slut? _I couldn't blame him if he did. After all at the interviews I was 'madly-in-love' with Peeta and now I am having sex with my enemies... _Perhaps he thinks I am shallow? _A sudden whirring noise picks up and I look behind me to see a giant fiery ball as big as a soccer ball hurtling towards me.

I dive to the ground instantly and just miss the ball of fire by mere centimetres. I have never felt so thankful for my agile figure trained over years of hunting. Another blazing ball appears out of thin air and I roll just in time.

I don't know how long has past, but the conflagration has finally desisted and so have the incandescence balls. The sea of smoke and ash still engulf me as it floats in the air. _I need to get out… _I fall to the ground coughing and spluttering. _Quickly._The air is much cleaner down here, but still relatively hazardous to my lungs I'm sure. If I want to get out of here I am going to have to get back up. Crawling will take far too long. I pick myself up, wavering in the smoke. I bring my shirt to my face and cover my mouth. It helps to filter some of the smoke.

I start to jog and can eventually see clear space, space where no heavy black clouds of ash reign. My jog turns into a sprint and the fumes thin out. _I can breathe! Wait… what is that? _My ears sharpen and I can hear the sound of rushing water. _Salvation at last! _I rush towards the harmonic sound. In front of my lies a crystal clear, babbling brook running along for as far as I can see. Pink and blue lilacs grow around the banks. I cannot help but give a second to admire the beauty they embody; the pink and blue flow over each other, complimenting one another. In comparison to these alluring blossoms I feel revolting. I look down at myself to confirm it. My body is encased by layers of soot. I put my clothes to the side of the bank and lather myself in the brook's comforting waters. I can feel the ash subsiding almost instantaneously as the waters' tangle themselves around me. How I wish I could just submit to the soothing tones of nature. Of course the cosmos would never allow me to slip away, so stealthily into the presence of the landscape, no they would want something much more exciting… and here it comes. I gasp as my eyes lock onto the group of tributes known as the 'careers'; the tall, blonde haired boy leading them. _Well then, I guess his foot is better…_ They haven't seen me yet. _Maybe there is still hope... perhaps I can sneak away unnoticed. _The district two boy's eyes fall upon me. My whole body tenses and I am paralyzed.

_This is where it all ends… _but his eyes leave me and he continues to walk. I don't waste any of the extra time he has granted me; I dash to the bank and start getting dressed. I quickly slip my underwear on and apply my bra.

"There she is!" A shrill voice screams. _Crap… _"And she is naked!" _Really? I mean seriously? Did she have to scream that out?_ I can hear one of the boys whistle at me. _Great…_My cheeks blush and I am forced to run… how I am. As I am running I manage to put my jacket over myself and shove everything else, my shoes trousers and blade into my jacket before zipping it up.

I can hear their footsteps behind me; I have a fair lead on them though, thankfully. I look around for a tree that will be slender enough to break under their heavy treads. The lightest one of them would have to be twenty kilos heavier than me… Up ahead I see a tall emaciated tree. _Perfect. Only forty metres away… _

They are gaining I can hear their heavy steps closing in on me. _Only twenty metres… _and their approaching wrath is imminent. I reach the base of the tree and propel myself up. I can hear their gleeful voices chasing me; I climb up, swiftly until the branches start to get too thin; even for me. I am forced to stop.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Marvel says smiling wickedly. As I look down at them I see that one of them is missing; the black haired girl who had threatened me with her knives. _Where was she? Is she dead? God I hope so. _"Nice ass" he says following it by another whistle, as I look down at him I notice his boner. I quickly grab my trousers out and put them on to prevent the perving eyes.

"Your disgusting Marvel!" the emerald-eyed girl says before turning to Cato "Climb after her Cato" I see Cato's eyes gaze into hers before deciding. _What is the story with him? _I cannot help but wonder. After all, this guy had seen me at the river, yet refused to give me up. _Why? The only moments we have ever shared was my forced loss of virginity… where he thought I was someone else! _Suddenly, another realization hits me. Peeta is not there. _Is he dead?_ Unlike the throwing-knives girl I am unable to feel whether that makes me sad or happy. _No, it's better this way, only one of us could win and he has proven himself to be nothing but a traitor. _ I'm switched back to actuality to see Cato starting his uphill climb. He doesn't get far though; luckily. He is about of the third way up when the branch snaps and he is falling, back first. _Have mercy, let him break his neck. _At least that would give me some time.

**CRASH! **

"Fuck!" He screams as he hits the ground. Unfortunately he gets up, unscarred. _What the hell? _

"I'll shoot her!" The blond girl shouts as she aims her bow.

"No Glimmer!" Marvel shouts. _Glimmer? Ick, some of these names are purely disgusting. _I prepare myself to dodge the arrows but after a few huge misses I decide she is completely incompetent with the weapon.

"Why don't you throw the sword?" I tease.

"Marvel throw the spear!" Glimmer screams bossily.

"No, this is my only one; I don't want it to get lodged up there"

"You threw it before at that little girl!" _What little girl? _My mind goes over all possibilities of the candidates but only find one: _Rue._

"Yeah, well that tree was climbable!" Marvel rages back at her.

"Fine! I'll climb it! I'm lighter than you, Cato I should be able to get further" She starts climbing and I am suddenly scared. _She does look a lot lighter than Cato…_

She passes Cato's record and keeps moving towards me. I grab my knife out of my jacket and prepare myself. Luckily, I don't have to, because when she is two-thirds of the way towards me her branch snaps. _A fall from this height will kill her… _I cannot supress my grin as she plummets towards the earth. Depressingly, the blond manages to grab a branch and prevents herself from hitting the ground… just._ Argh, life really has it out for me._She floats one metre above the ground before Cato grabs her and helps her to the ground.

"Why don't we just wait her out? After all it's pretty obvious she isn't going anywhere anytime soon." Cato tells them. _Well he is right about one thing. I am not going anywhere._ I look up and see the sun setting. _Already? _

"I'll take first shift" Marvel volunteers "You two get some rest" His proposal gets no argument and I see the other two starting to lie down. I decide to take suit and grab my sleeping bag. That's when I find out I don't have it. _Crap, I left my bag at the pond… _I think of it now, surely burnt to crisps, _well it's not going to help me now. _I slide my belt off and strap myself onto the tree branch. My eyelids grow heavy and I fall into their sweet calling.

* * *

"Katniss?" I stir in my sleep and shake the noise out of my head.

"Katniss? Katniss!" _Okay, this is getting way too annoying…_I reluctantly open my heavy eyelids.

"Katniss!" A hushed voice exclaims. _Who would be trying to talk to me? _And just like that I know. Peeta. _Maybe he didn't forsake me. Maybe he has had his reasons for joining with the careers… maybe he has been trying to protect me this whole time! Even now when times are desperately bleak! _

"Peeta?" I say in a quietened voice, following theirs. I unstrap myself and allow myself to roll over and get a look at him. His burning light blue eyes piercing at me; only it's not Peeta's. It's Cato.

"What? No." The figure points up in the tree. I give him a confused look but decide to check it out anyways. I twist my head and gasp, because staring back at me is a tracker jacker nest. I look back down at him and he is making a sawing motion. I immediately understand what he is saying. _What does he have to gain from this though?_ I turn back to him but he is no longer looking at me. I cannot help but wonder what the Capitol is making out of these events. I don't wonder for long because the anthem is starting to play. _This is my chance, it's now or never. _I climb up, wasting no time. I put my dagger to the branch and start cutting, the sound of the anthem covering the noise of my actions. The branch is now vibrating crazily and I can see a tracker jacker walking along the branch groggily. _I don't have much time now. _I quicken my pace and am three quarters of the way when I am stung in my arm. The pain is unbearable but I know I cannot stop now; the anthem is finishing. _Almost there… _another wave of agony hits me in my neck. I let out a small yelp and finally cut through the branch. I watch as it hurtles itself at the ground, where it breaks open on impact. A chorus of frightened screams go off and I know the hive has hit its mark. I wait until I see the three figures disappear from sight before I lower myself to the ground, where I take out the two stingers. I cannot believe what I see. Sitting in front of me is the one weapon which can offer me salvation.

Ghastly looking spiders climb on top of it but I know I need this. I hastily grab it before swinging it around like mad. I need to get out of here. They could be coming back any moment now. I start running, or at least try to, I feel as if I look something like a mental patient on drugs trying to escape an asylum, because I am hitting every obstacle that seems to come in view, every tree, shrub and skeleton. Half of the time I'm not sure what I have hit is real or not, the tracker jacker venom makes it impossible to tell. After a few minutes of hobbling around, I trip over a bush and slide down a steep slope afore coming to a complete stop.

I do not even bother to try and struggle with my weary eyes. The venom, has influenced me in more ways than one.

**As I walk off the train I have never felt so safe. I have won the Hunger Games! I get to see my mother again and my deeply loved sister. Oh how I have missed them. I cannot wait to feel their warmth against my skin. I cannot wait to see the happiness in their faces as they greet me. I had never thought I would have seen them again. I thought the last time I would have laid eyes upon them was in the justice building when I was being sent off to be slaughtered. I wonder how terrible these last weeks must have been for them. Every night, they would pray that today wouldn't be the day when they were greeted by my death. Well that is over now. There is no need to worry, because I am safe. I don't care about the faces I have met that have been banished from the realm of the living because the only faces that I truly care about are waiting for me right now.**

I am instantly met by the profile of my best-friend Gale Hawthorne. My smile fades. Something is wrong. Gale's face is not intoxicated by joy, as I had once dreamt it would be. Instead his face is filled with grief. Miserable, terrible, pain-stricken grief. What is going on here?

"What's wrong?" I ask. Gale simply embraces me. His strong, warm arms, tightening themselves around me.

"Gale?" I repeat.

"They're gone" He cries.

"What are you talking about Gale? Who is gone?"

"They're dead" He cries, ignoring my question. My stomach churns.

"Gale! Who is dead?" I scream at him. Hoping against hope, that it's not them.  
"Your mother and Prim, they are both dead" He wails in my ear. No it can't be. I refuse to believe it. I shake out of Gale's arms and run.

"Prim!" I scream into the crowd who looks just as miserable as Gale. I see a few crying, crying in my pain. A few approach me and give me their deepest apologies. No I don't want their sympathies! I want my family!

I push past every one of them harshly and keep running. I run back to my house. I slam the door open only to find it empty of any signs of an owner. The house is now littered with cobwebs.

"Mum!" I screech as I slump onto the ground. I wish Gale was here. I wish he could hold my emotions together with his embrace because now they are failing me. "Prim!" I howl. But just like these living conditions the response is unbearable. Nothing holds back my tears now. I give no resistance and succumb to the overpowering feeling.

"No!" I shriek as I thrash around on the floor, kicking viciously at the ground. Something brushes against me and I look up to see Buttercup. Prim's most favourite cat in the whole world. I know he shares the pain I feel. "Oh Buttercup" I cry "They're gone forever"

I enter a nightmare from which I wake repeatedly. How many times must I watch my family die? Everything I dread most manifests in such vivid detail I can't help but believe they're real. Each time I wake, I think, at last this is over, but it isn't; it never is. This is the nature of the tracker jacker venom, so carefully crafted to target the place where fear lives in your brain.

(OOC: Thanks for continuing to read! Next chapter will be in Glimmer's POV, time to find out what is going on in her mind! And find out the exact happenings of Peeta! Please review! I need the support to know if I should continue to write! I should be able to get it done pretty quick, it is the weekend here)


	6. Holding Together

(OOC: Hey everyone! Glimmer's POV is here! I'm sorry about the wait, I had an assignment to tend to, but now it's here =) )

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Holding Together**  
I look at Cato dismally. He had definitely been stung badly. I sigh as the dark memories replay in my head. I watch again as the hive splits open and all hell rains out. I vaguely remember screaming as one lodged itself in my leg. I relive the three of us sprinting towards our only salvation; the lake. It was the only source deep enough to fully submerge ourselves in. The brook just wasn't deep enough. The enduring canter fills my mind with every detail…

I was ahead of the other two, Marvel was just behind me and Cato followed him. Cato was never the greatest runner; his broad size was never meant for this kind of activity. That's why it didn't surprise me when he stumbled. Marvel didn't seem to notice and continued his journey but I had. I had to turn back. I couldn't let Cato die. Don't get me wrong, I haven't forgiven him for the assault on Peeta but he didn't deserve death. He got back up but it was obvious that his foot was playing up. He was limping and the swarm was gaining. It didn't surprise me about his foot. After all it was only the day before when he had twisted it severely. It was amazing that he had made a recovery from it, but, obviously it wasn't as resilient as Cato had hoped.

I grabbed his shoulder to offer him support. I also helped to guide him back because after the first few moments it was made apparent that he was extremely disorientated. We were too slow though and the swarm had caught us; their stingers ripped apart our skin and forced their way through. I remember thinking '_This is how I will die_' but the lake was only twenty metres away and I wasn't going to give up so easily. I felt three sharp pains all in the back of my neck go off simultaneously. I felt Cato's body go limp but I was determined to not desert him. I dragged him along the ground and push out the thoughts of death from my head. Ten metres left. Another two stings hit me in the arm. I remember hearing the agonized scream ringing through my ears.

Most of all I remember the feel of the moistness as it surrounded me. It was the best feeling I had ever felt. I waited for the buzz to soften before surfacing from the water with Cato. That was a struggle, but my motivation had never failed me once. After I dragged Cato to the bank I removed all of his stingers before attending to mine. After which I had blackened out.

Now here I sit over Cato's strong body as it struggles for life, battling viciously against the venom in his system. I'm so thankful for my grandmother right now. She had been the victor of the 30th Annual Hunger Games. She wasn't the strongest, fastest, most accurate tribute ever. In fact she was pretty terrible in all of those accounts. She had won due to her intelligence. Whilst every other career had spent their time training with weapons, she had been mentally preparing herself and thinking up strategies. The one in particular that had given her the win was the tracker jacker stunt.

Ever since she was seven she had always noticed that there were always tracker jackers in every arena. She decided to use this to her advantage and prepared herself for the feel of the venom. She had managed to catch a few tracker jackers in a glass jar and she would allow one of them to sting her, so she could feel the pain and so she could be stronger against it next time. After years of this training she could get twelve or so of them to sting her at once without any effect. She had grown immune.

She was seventeen when she had volunteered. I remember watching her Games with her, she always provided me with helpful tips as to what to do if I ever entered the games. Her strategy was to be a lone wolf, a stalking predator. She would follow the careers without their knowledge of it. Of course her status as being a district one girl granted her automatic access to the career pack but she kindly denied. She had preferred to be alone; she tells me that way she didn't have anything to do with anyone and their faces wouldn't be burnt forever in her mind. One night when it was down to the final five she had grabbed a hive from a branch; seriously, she had literally snatched one of a branch and covered the hole with her jacket so none could escape. She tracked her way to where the remaining three careers laid and threw it at them. She had never been very strong so she was limited to how far she could throw. She practically tiptoed right up to them while they were sleeping, and threw it at her feet. The careers instantly due to their instincts got up and started to run away from the hive. Half of them had chased the careers and the other half had chased her. There were more than triple the amount she had ever tested. She knew she was going to die. So she did the only thing she could do, she ran. She ran in the opposite direction to the careers not wanting their tracker jackers to come after her once they were finished with them.

**BANG!**

One career had died. She sprinted as fast as she could yet no matter how fast she was going they just seemed to go faster.

**BANG!**

Another one down; only one career was left now. The first tracker jacker had now stung her, but one was nothing to her, she told me it had felt like a very small pinch.

**BANG!  
**  
The final one had died. She had made it to the final two. She told me how proud she was of herself for making it that far and taking down not one but three careers. She was okay with death now; she had reached a goal much higher than she had set out for herself. This was when she decided to stop running and let the insects have her. As soon as she had stopped eight tracker jackers had at her. Of course this still didn't have any effect on her. I recall her lips parting during the stings of the terrifying hornets.

"Goodbye mum and dad; I love you both so much! Please look after my brother and make sure he grows to be a great person" She says, her eyes filling with tears now. Six more stings attack her. She had gone over the amount she had ever tested: fifteen. She told me she felt that like someone was biting her over and over again, it wasn't majorly painful but it did hurt her. Her younger self winced slightly. Ten more stings. She had now been stung twenty-five times. Each sting had now felt like a Rottweiler crunching down on her, she told me. Her past self, let out an agonized scream before being hit by eighteen more; Forty three. She had told me that then, each sting felt like a sword being stabbed into her. Her teenage body crumpled to the ground and was met by another thirteen before losing consciousness.

And when she had opened her eyes she was in a hovercraft. She told me she had thought it was a dream and that the tracker jacker venom had not altered her nightmares. She had been greeted by voices, she still remembers those words today:  
"She's awake!" She shook her head and asked the man who was now coming through the door what had happened. He had told her that she had won the Hunger Games, that the tracker jackers had taken out the hiding district seven boy just before her body had given up. He had also told her that she had fallen into a coma and they were worried that she would never have woken up. That she had been asleep for a whole year. They still needed to do a victory tour and interview for her but the 31st Hunger Games had just finished and they needed to do an interview for that victor as well. This is when something so strange had happened. This event was so peculiar that it had only ever happened once in the history of the Games. They had a dual interview.

Since there was only one victor chair both victors had to share a couch. They had a double length interview and everyone had wanted to go, tickets had cost so much that time because everyone knew that this interview was going to be forever known to Panem; that it would be history in the making.

They had intermixed both of their games with one another so that the victors wouldn't be constantly watching the other. After the interview the two tributes were sent back to their district. Which it had just so happened that they had both been from District one. On the train the two victors began to talk, naturally as you would in any non-violent situation. Little did she know at that time, that the boy victor from one would later to grow into her lover.

Her immunity to the venom must have gone through my genes. That could be the only reason as to why I could have stood against so many more tracker jacker stings and why I had arisen so quickly. _At least I think it was quickly._I look up to the sky and see that there must have only been a few hours that had parted.

I look at Cato and see that his body was horribly disfigured. Lumps the sizes of small oranges grow all over him. I cannot help but feel a little repulsed by the obscure scene. _What am I supposed to do? _I think back to my grandmother's tips, I remember her telling me about a plant that would help with the coping of the venom. _Argh what was it?_ I pick at my brain for five minutes before finally giving up. _It's not like I can go around and grab every plant and try it out on him so please don't hate._That is when I hear the quiet beeping of a parachute. I turn to the noise just in time to see it land gracefully on the scruffy grass. Without hesitation I rush to it and grab the content. I don't need to even look at it to know what it is. It's the ointment.

I open the jar and spread the gooey substance on his lumps. When I have covered every inch of his swollen areas I have one quarter left of the jar. I know I won't need it so I go to check on Marvel, who I find in his tent. He is much better than Cato, he only has a few looking mounds as compared to the ten or so of Cato.

"Marvel?" I ask. _Yep, he is definitely unconscious. _It looks like he had the common sense to remove his few stingers before he blacked out though. I apply the ointment generously over his few bumps. Even in minor form they look disgusting. I crawl out of the tent glad to get away from the view. _I better check on Peeta and Clove… _I suddenly feel like a mother hen tending to her baby chicks. In all of this I cannot help but think that this is the perfect opportunity. I could take all of them out right now. After all two of them are unconscious and possibly three still while the other is weak. _No, I still need their help anyways. There would still be five others I would have to take down… wait what happened to district three? I haven't seen him at all today. _I promise myself that I will figure that out later though and for now check on the other two.

I crawl through the door of Peeta's tent and am met by his bright blue eyes. They stand out so much against the dark canvas.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" I ask as I sit next to him.

"Better. I can actually move my legs now" He laughs. _He has such a superlative laugh… _"Oh my gosh, Glimmer what happened to you?" _What was he talking about? _I put my hand up to my face and feel a huge lump. My cheek had swollen. _Maybe I did need some of the ointment. _I instantly regret using so much on Cato and Marvel."Tracker jackers; is it really that bad?"

"No, it's just a bit of a shock to see you like that. That's all." He lies. I know how the lumps affect one's image and if mine is anywhere near as bad as Cato's I look repulsive. I appreciate his politeness though. Eager to move on from the subject of my subsiding glamour I change the topic.

"I want you to just take as long as you need to recover. How are your stitches?" After Cato's brutal assault, Peeta was one big bloody mess. Marvel was left with the fading boy. The blood was running way too freely for a liveable body. It's lucky that Marvel had always been interested in health classes… I remember him telling me that if he made it back he would become a doctor. It's a little ironic if you ask me. Someone who volunteers for the chance to kill others wants to make a profession in saving people…

"You're welcome to see for yourself" _I might just take him up on that offer… _I lean over and pull his shirt up exposing his athletic abs. _Okay, so it is no Cato but it is still pretty good…_"Well it's good to see that they actually held together" I say as I gently touch around his stiches. He winces. "Still tender?" He nods.

"How did your hunting go? Kill many people?" He asks with interest.

"None, we had one tribute stuck in a tree but they dropped the tracker jackers on us… Cato and Marvel are unconscious right now" I grimace.

"Wow, are they going to be okay?"

"Well Marvel will be but I'm not too sure about Cato. He took a lot more venom than his body could handle. I have given him ointment to help but only his body will be the judge of his life or death"

"That's terrible. Let's hope for the best" I am instantly puzzled by this. In my district no one bothers with kindness. It's a dog eat dog world out there. Yet in here, when it is a kid kill kid world, he manages to still have kindness, this strange emotion I have almost no idea of. How could someone ever hope that the person who almost bashed them to death would be safe? It is far too over my head for me too even, begin to see. Yet there is something… desirable about this. It makes me only want him more. "Who was the tribute, by the way?"

"Oh just some kid, I can't remember his name" I lie. _I don't want him to think of Katniss. I want his mind to forget her._Of course that will never happen though.

"Oh okay. How are you feeling anyway? You must be hurting from the tracker jackers"

"Nope, I am fine now… despite my looks. I'm sorry if you find it too disgusting. I can leave if you want"

"No, don't. Please. All day I have been stuck in here. It gets really boring without someone to talk to"

"Okay, well what do you want to talk about?" I ask thrilled that he would want my company.

"I don't know. Anything I guess. How did your parents react? After you volunteered?" I have to think about this for a moment.

"I don't really know. Shocked probably"

"Probably?"

"Well, they had expected to see me that afternoon. My parents were far too busy with their jewel shop to come to the reaping." I say in disgust. "They knew I wasn't going to get reaped. Or even if I had someone would have just volunteered and I would have been there right now. They never thought I would volunteer. I mean why would I? I never attended one of the prestigious training schools that the other careers had. They had no reason to suspect it. Though… I would have loved to see their faces though after they found out." I laugh lightly.

"Who visited you before you left then?"

"No one." The pained expression on Peeta's face is just too much for me. It brings back memories of my lonely wait in the justice building, and I do not want to be reminded. "What about you?"

"Just my family. I know it doesn't mean much now, but if I was there I would've visited you"

"What? You wouldn't have known me." I argue

"I would've wanted to"

"I don't see why"

"You're a good person. You have a great personality and you have such a warm smile that just makes me want to know everything there is about you." I cannot help but blush. _No one has ever said anything as sweet as that to me._I feel as if I am ice and Peeta's presence is the sun, I just melt in his view. I look into his eyes and watch him watching me. I lean in, eyes closed and lips puckered.

His lips meet me halfway and I feel myself melting again. For a few short moments we sit there, like that before pulling away slowly. His lips had felt cracked and dry.

"Have you been drinking any water?" I ask him.

"No. I didn't really have the strength to get to the lake and my water bottle had ran out"

"Okay, you wait there I'll go grab you some water" I turn away from the boy and crawl towards the tent's door.

"Wait" He says as he wraps his hand around my wrist, making it feel miniscule. "I don't know what happened. I'm sorry, it wasn't meant to happen. I mean, I love Katniss" My heart sinks but instead of storming and off and sulking I lean in again, encasing my lips around his before pulling back.

"Well you know where to find me. I will be waiting for you" I whisper quickly making an escape before he notices my tears. I wipe them away at the pretense of thinking it will do anything to stop the leakage.

I trudge over to the lake with Peeta's water bottle, too lost in despair to notice Cato's spastic movements. I lean down and open the bottle, slowly dragging it through the water before bringing it up and as I tighten the bottle my eyes look over the glistening substance and to the bank where Cato rests.

"Oh my gosh" I whisper to myself as I drop the bottle and dive into the water to get to him. As I resurface I run to him and crouch beside him. Water from my soaked hair drips onto his smooth face. His legs and arms jerk violently. _What do I do? If only Marvel was here, he would know what to do. His body must be fighting the poison. _Unsure of what to do, I grasp his right hand in mine. The onslaught of spasms continue. I look up into the sky and silently pray for his life.

After five minutes I think it will never end but if it does, something tells me it will end badly. Tears swell again but this time I do not hold them back; they slide down my nose and drip off, falling on his arm.

"Please Cato" I cry. As if in answer his movements start to calm. After one minute he has finally stopped moving. I place my head to his chest to feel his beating heart. _Good, he is okay. Well as okay as you can get after being stung multiple times by an insect that is severely painful._I get up and look over him before walking around the lake and picking up the bottle.

"Goodbye Cato" I say as I make it to Peeta's tent, I don't feel like going in. I don't want to see what I'll never get to have. Of course I knew he was in love with Katniss but I had thought, I had hoped that just maybe I could change his view. I roll the bottle through the door.

"Glimmer, wait!" Peeta shouts from behind the canvas. I ignore him and walk over to Clove's tent. _Maybe she will be feeling better. _

"Clove?" I ask as I enter the darkness inside.

"Yeah, I'm here. How was hunting?" She asks. I sigh to myself knowing I'll have to explain it again.

One lengthy explanation later…

"Are they all alright?"

"Cato's a worry but Marvel will be fine. How's your shoulder?" I say as I nudge her shoulder softly.

"I think it's getting better. So let me get this straight… between all of us, you're the only one uninjured?" She asks and I let out a laugh.

"Well that's not entirely true" I say as I guide her hand to my face.

"Wow, that's really swollen. How are you still conscious?"

"Don't worry I have already fell unconscious I was just quick to regain"

"I'm sorry; I don't meant to be a burden. I think by tomorrow I will be ready to hunt again"

"Nah, forget about it. You're a friend. I take care of my friends" I can feel Clove being taken by surprise.

"Thanks"

"Well I'm really tired, today has been rather… eventful to say the least" I straighten my sleeping bag out before tucking myself in. "Goodnight"

* * *

(OOC: What do you think of Glimmer's actions? Will it be a Glato story or will it be a Gleeta? And will Peeta manage to keep his cool? Will Cato be okay? Peeta's POV next chapter! And review please?)


	7. Aggravated Confusion

OOC: Peeta's POV is here! I am so sorry about how long this has taken! I would have gotten it up ages ago but my laptop was taken in to get repairs. I will try to go back to a 4-7 day writing process. I'm so sorry!)  
_  
_**Chapter 7 – Aggravated Confusion**  
I lie motionless in my sleeping bag. _What have I done? Have I destroyed the love angle? Will the Capitol think it was fake? Will they want to punish me now? Or worse, will they want to punish Katniss?_ I shake the thought out of my head. I push myself off the floor with great pain._I need to apologise to Glimmer. It wasn't right of me to kiss her and then say something like I did._

I make my way out the tent door and drag myself over to her tent.  
"Glimmer?" I whisper. "Glimmer?" The door rustles and I wait for her to come out. Only it isn't Glimmer. "Hey Clove, is Glimmer in there?"

"Yeah, but she is asleep. What are you doing up? You should be resting!"

"I'm guessing you heard then…"

"It would have been impossible to not have. Marvel told me, you know, after he stitched you up. He also told me why Cato bashed you. That was completely stupid of you, you know?" I nod my head slightly. I know I shouldn't have messed with Cato especially when he was angry, and especially not about his girlfriend. "Thank you" This takes me aback.

"For what?"

"You were defending me. No matter how stupid that was I really appreciate it."

"No problem, and besides it's nothing compared to what you did for me. How's your shoulder?"

"It's getting there. How's your gut?" I lift my shirt to expose the bruising.

"It's getting better" I say trying to smile.

"Want to go for a walk?"

"I'm up for it, anywhere in mind?"

"I hear there is a beautiful brook worth seeing over that way" She says pointing towards the trees behind the lake.

"Let's go then" I say as I start to walk.

"Okay, just give me a second" She says as she ducks back into the tent and comes out with a set of shiny knifes. "Protection"

As the lake emerges in view, so does Cato.  
"We should probably move him" I say.

"Later. Right now we have a brook to see" Clove says as she smiles. That was the first time I had ever seen Clove smile and how amazing it had looked.

"You should smile more, it suits you"

"Well in this situation I don't think it is quite appropriate." She tells me. I know she is right. "If you find something for me to smile about, I will"

"Right. This could take a while then…"

"Ha-ha. You know, I'm not as cold as people think I am. If you are having fun, I won't cover you with snow" Her voice is now serious and her expression is the same. "If you hurt me I won't snap like an icicle" her eyes penetrate mine. "And if you touch me" She says as she grabs my hand and presses it against her face. "You won't freeze"

She drops my hand and continues walking as if nothing had happened.  
"Clove, I know you're not cold. You just don't show your emotions. You are hidden from the world. You are too hard to read"

"Good, because that's the way I like it. The world is a dangerous world to those who declare themselves fragile"

"I never knew you were such a philosopher"

"Just goes to show that there are a lot of things about people you wouldn't know by judging them" I nod as we continue to walk.

* * *

"So what's your story Clove?" I ask as I prod at a lilac on the bank.

"Well, ever since I was five I attended a training school. It was just like normal school, but only you spend a third of your day learning different ways to kill people. As you can imagine it doesn't really help your social life much" I let out a small laugh. I could just imagine it. _'Hey, do you want to play'  
'Sure, just after I've learnt how to break a person's neck…' _"Me and Cato went to the same school, we have actually trained with each other before. He knows my strengths and weaknesses and I know his" I nod my head listening to every word she said. _She and Cato had trained together?_ "He's not actually that bad of a guy. I know that sounds hard to believe, with you know the whole almost killing you thing, but when he isn't under the influence of anger his company can be … reasonably enjoyable. I know that is probably impossible to believe but he was one of my only friends back at home. He looked out for me" _Cato and Clove? Being friends? What on earth? _

"What about family?"

"Umm, I have a little brother, Cascade. He means the world to me. He is turning eleven this year. He wants to grow to be a psychiatrist. He loves to get inside people's heads. My father doesn't want him to though. He forced him to go to training school as well. He is stubborn on the idea that our family will grow to be a long line of victors. He had won the 59th Hunger Games. Hmm, what else… oh, my mother had died when I was four. I always remember her as vibrant and radiant. She had always told us to follow our dreams… quite the opposite of my father. God rest her soul" As I look into her eyes I can see the water amongst them.

"I'm really sorry about your loss" _That explains her. Why she boards up her emotions, why she rarely smiles. She is lost. She is distraught._

"No, I'm sorry. It's been twelve years since her death. I should be more bound together" She says as she blinks away her watering eyes. "It's just whenever I imagine her, in all her beauty I just… lose it. I'm sorry"

"No. I think it is great that after all these years you don't forget the image of her" I grab her hand in support.

"Thanks" She whispers as she slips away from my grasp. Her eyes training ahead, past the water and lilacs and on to something that makes the setting just look dismal in comparison; past the growing green trees that radiate life; past the tall mountains that offer us the falseness of security and onto the rosy-pink sky, that centrals the bright topaz, lighted orb. "I like to take the time that I have to admire the precious things in life. It helps me forget about the struggles, if only just for a moment. It gives me the strength to face the new ones that I know are bound to come"

"That's beautiful. You are so profound with your words. What would you have done if things were different? If you weren't sitting here right now, if you were at home and had your whole life ahead of you. What would your life be?"

"Training for next year. What about you?" I frown.

"No, I mean, what if you never came. What if you were never a tribute in the Hunger Games?" Clove hesitates a moment before answering.

"I don't really know. I have never been given that option before. Why, what would you do?"

"I would be a baker"

"It must have been great to have your whole life set out, knowing what you would do in the years to come. Not wondering if there would be years to come"

"Yeah well lot of good that did me. I don't even know how to use a sword properly" I complain.

"Get up" Clove tells me as she climbs to her feet. I shoot her a puzzled expression. "Come on. Right now" She offers her hand and as I grab it I can feel her icy fingers. She pulls me to my feet and then instantly drops her hand from mine. She pulls a knife from her pocket and brings it towards me.

"Clove! What are you doing?" I stutter as I back away from the serrated edge and almost fall backwards over a rock. _Was she really going to kill me? Here and now?_

"Put your hand out" She demands, and I reluctantly stretch my hand out. The cold steel meets my hand and sends shivers down my spine. "Throw it"

"Throw it at what?"

"The tree" She says as she points over to a thick tree to the left of us. _She is going to teach me how to use a throwing knife? Well at least it is better than being killed. _I chuckle in silence at my initial reaction. I bring my hand back and throw it. It doesn't even go near the tree; instead it lands sideways in a shrub.

"See, I'm incompetent with weapons" I say.

"Throw it again" She says as she hands me another knife. I bring my hand back and am about to push it forwards when Clove interrupts me. "No. Not like that" She says as she grabs my hand and loosens its grip on the knife slightly. "Don't hold it so firmly. You need to hold it tight but delicately" She bends my wrist back slightly. "Angle is key. It all requires on how far you are from your target. Since you're aiming at that tree you will need to have enough angle to make it spin once before the blade penetrates the wood" She pulls my right leg behind me. "Put all your weight on your dominant leg" Her hand presses against my arm and she pulls it higher. "Your arm should be perpendicular to the ground" She bends my elbow so that my hand is alongside my head. "You should always have it a comfortable distance from your head to avoid contact. When you throw, alternate your weight to your front foot and swing your forearm forwards before following through" She whispers as she stands behind me and guides my body forward and directs my forearm along before I let go of the knife.

I cannot help but gasp as the knife wedges itself squarely in the trunk of the tree.  
"You're a natural" She smirks. "Now have a go by yourself" She says as she retrieves the two previous knives. "Incoming" She shouts as she propels the two knifes at my feet where they land blade first. I scoop up one knife and put my weight on my right leg. I bring my arm up to my head. "Like this?"

"Yeah, now angle the knife" I bring my wrist back a tiny bit and prepare myself for the throw. The air is silent and not one thing stands in the way of me and my target. "Move your arm just like you did before" She whispers. My arm moves gently through the wind before coming to a complete halt and allowing the silvery object to slide from my grasp. My face of determination falls as the blade misses the tree by a metre. "That's not a bad second throw. Just give it time and practice, you'll be there in no time"

"Thanks" I say as I retrieve the knife. "We should probably be heading back now"

* * *

My hands grip tightly around Cato's chiseled arms. His lumps were still obvious but they had reduced.  
"Let's take him back to his tent" Clove says as she grabs his legs and lifts, forcing me to as well. Nightfall was almost upon us now; we could barely see a few metres ahead of us. Clove leads the way along the bank of the lake.

"Any reason why you needed to see Glimmer?" Clove asks as we continue to lug the heavy Cato along.

"I just needed to apologize for something that's all"

"What?" _Should I tell her? Perhaps she could tell me what she thinks? No, she doesn't strike me as someone who would know too much on the subject and maybe she would get angry at me? Her and Glimmer are seeming to get closer... _I decide against it, after all I don't want to jeopardize another friendship. Of course Glimmer will probably tell Clove anyways… but I just can't make myself tell her.

"Just personal stuff" I say and I can see Clove's face sink.

"Oh. Okay" Her body droops, and it is clear as day that I have insulted her, but what am I meant to say? Nothing, I conclude. We continue the walk in silence until we reach the dark green tent. We open the zipper, before lowering him to the ground. Clove bends down and places two of her fingers to his neck. "His heart rate is still holding; it's a bit over average but not too much"

"So what does that mean?" I ask; I have never been great at stuff like this.

"I don't really know" She laughs, "But he is still alive, we'll have to wait for Marvel to awaken before we can understand the state he is in. Until now, there isn't much we can do." She makes her way out the door of the tent, and I am about to follow when I hear Glimmer.

"How is he?" She asks.

"Well he is holding" Clove informs. "Oh and Peeta wants to talk to you" I crawl out of the door, on cue.

"Hey Glimmer. I am really sorry. It wasn't right of me to say that" The blonde haired girl stands in front of me, her eyes transfixed away from me and the pain on her face is obvious. Clove stands to the left of her and looks confused.

"Peeta… you kissed me! Then you said it was a huge mistake!" She screams at me, but anger was not one of the emotions that filled the sentence, instead it was lathered in anguish. I see Clove's shocked expression on her face. _Great, now she is judging me…_

"I'm sorry! I'm just confused at the moment! I just need some time to think" I say, trying desperately to keep the frustration out of my voice. _What am I meant to say when I don't know what I am meant to think? Katniss has been my crush since… forever, and Glimmer is just some girl I have met a week ago… But I've gotten closer to Glimmer in that one week then I have to Katniss in my whole life._My mind is filled with aggravation, at Glimmer making me decide what I want, at myself for not being able to decide what I want and even Clove's presence for adding to the discomfit that Glimmer has put upon me.

Glimmers eyes look over to me in exacerbated fury. "You're confused?" She shouts violently. "Oh well in that case I guess it doesn't matter!" I instantly feel worthless. I hate hearing her shout, it only makes it a thousand times worst when I know it's at me. My eyes narrow to the ground, ashamed and unknowing of what to say. Glimmer's voice lessens in decibels and I know she is aware of how I feel. "Please Peeta, just don't leave me in the dark" She whispers, before she turns and heads towards the lake, leaving me by a stunned Clove.

"You guys kissed?" She asks; obviously find the concept a bit hard to believe. I simply nod.

"I don't know what happened. I just got lost in the moment" I whisper ashamed of how terrible it sounds out loud. "Sorry all this drama has made me really tired, goodnight Clove" I say as I turn, vaguely aware of a response. I wasn't tired, I just didn't want Clove to see me this way and to be honest I just feel like crawling into a hole and staying there for the rest of the games. Or better yet, maybe just succumb to the nothingness I feel inside and offer my life. Cato's sword has never looked so inviting. I scold myself for the temporary thought. I need to stay alive, I need to help Katniss.

My head rotates to look back, seeing neither Clove nor Glimmer. Nothing but shaggy green grass…

I open my tent and throw myself on the sleeping bag, hoping that sleep would allow my mind some peace. A rest from the struggles it faces what seems to be daily now. As the cold bites my legs, I force them into the warmth that the bag offers. My eyes lower… until I feel something against my leg, something different to the synthetic material of the blanket-like material…

My hand reaches for the object and brings a thin head sized piece of wood up. I think nothing of it until I see the peculiarity. On the wood, written in small red letters is:

**Peeta, meet me at the forest edge near the left side of the cornucopia, when the night is darkest. Come alone. **

**District Five Girl**

My first reaction is confusion. Why would she want to see me? Has she decided that she was wrong to let me live the first time? Has she decided to take me out now? Suddenly realization kicks in. My heart pauses. She was here. She had managed to sneak through our pack without any consequences. I am now terrified. If this girl has managed to do it once, what's stopping her from creeping in on us while we are sleeping and taking not one, but all of us out now?

Regardless of my fear, something about this girl intrigues me. The whole enigma behind her is fascinating… but would I really risk my own life to fill in some blanks? To satisfy my curiosity? What was that saying again? Curiosity killed the cat?

(OOC: Foxface's POV next, don't worry I haven't forgot about Clove. Her perspective will not be left out. Review guys please! It is the only thing that gives me motivation! Whether it be critical or not all is accepted, if you think you can tell me how to be a better writer message me!)


	8. Making Connections

(OOC: Foxface's POV! And here are some shout outs:

LunaLovegoodLovesNargles: Thanks and i'm sorry the seventh took so long!  
NinjaJacq : I'm sorry but I would have messaged you if you had messaging enabled. And to answer your question, no I did mean Peeta. This is my alternative of the 74th Games, sorry to confuse you and by the way who is David?  
crimson11116: Thank you so much! I hope this was quick enough for you!)

**Chapter 8- Making Connections**

I position myself to a more comfortable state. Trees aren't exactly the softest part of nature… As I wait, my mind cannot help but go over the last few days. Ian snuck out twice to see me and we spent a lot of time talking about when we would put the plan into action with the mines. We knew it wasn't safe to do anything of the sort at the moment, due to the state the careers are in and how they cannot hunt yet. Ian tells me that the tall blonde guy, Cato I think he said, is knocked out cold and has been for a couple days. He also informs me that the tall brunette, Marvel, is also knocked out. I would have never thought that I would be hoping for careers to wake… but I cannot wait much longer, anticipation has taken its toll and whenever I think about it my nerves give in. When they all awake they will be off hunting and when they are off hunting Ian and I will finally be able to make our move._ Hmmm what else had Ian said? _I pick at my brain for a little until I remember. The short girl with the knives had been hit in the shoulder by an arrow, a sadistic smile slowly spreads across my face, and apparently she had been hit by her own ally. I attempt to stifle my laugh but fail, and a small snicker is let out. Then of course there was Peeta… the boy who I was waiting for right now, who was the reason of my rather uncomfortable seat. He had been beaten severely by the bulky blonde. The thought of someone bashing something so pure made me furious. I don't know why but I really want to preserve that beautiful smile. I push the thought out of my head. _What is wrong with me? I am in a fight to the death and all I can think about is saving a boy that will eventually have to die in order for me to win._ Did I really think I could win? I look down at my puny arms and grimace. My mind plays back images of the careers in training. The district two girl and district one boy rarely miss, if not at all. The towering blonde made aggression turn into strength. The district one girl wasn't bad herself... unless she was holding a bow. I, myself wasn't exactly great with weapons but was alright at stealth. _Maybe I could assassinate them one by one?_ The biggest threat out of the careers was, in my opinion, the short girl. In training she was agile, strong, accurate and her height made her harder to hit.

My mind gets bored and I find myself wondering about Ian. What was he doing now? The last couple of times we were together we actually had conversations about ourselves and home. He is turning sixteen in a week. He has one brother and two sisters all of which are older than him. He has always been so close to his family. His brother had actually volunteered for him, but he was nineteen so it was not allowed. His name is Derek and from what he tells me about him he sounds like the best guy in the world. His two sisters are seventeen. Their names are Cassandrius and Qweyla. He used to have another sister, Granadella. The sisters were identical triplets. Two years ago Granadella had been reaped. She thought it immoral to take another's life though and she had suicided before she had gotten into the arena. It hasn't been the first time that has happened. Over seventy-four years there have been about twenty. Fifteen of which happened within the first nine years of the Games. These days suicide is extremely rare in tributes, but when it does happen it always makes the front page of the newspaper. It must have been so terrible for his family to not only have one child taken away from them but two. I silently pray for their grief.

Family has always been a touchy story for me, which is why I generally don't like to talk or even think about it. All it leads to is despair and pain.

An abrupt sound surfaces in the air. My body freezes and my mind goes into paranoia. I know that this is what I have been waiting for but it does little to calm my nerves.

"Hello?" The familiar voice calls. I would recognize that voice anywhere. He did come.

"Hello?" He asks again. I can now see the boy, trudging below, obviously scared. The crescent of the moon does little to show appearance. The boy is nothing but a silhouette. I do not move. I do not answer. I have to be sure that he is alone and that this is not an ambush. I slowly grab a pebble out of my pocket that I had collected before for this exact purpose. My fingers rub it for a little before throwing it at a tree, ten metres ahead. The sudden noise makes the boy's head turn in the general direction.

"Is that you?" He asks walking steadily over towards the tree. For thirty seconds my eyes train on where he had initially came on, looking for a sudden movement or noise that would give away the other's incognito but get not a clue. The boy is now heading back, confused.

I silently make my way down the tree. My feet gracefully hit the grassy ground and I face Peeta's back, who seems unknowing of my descent.

"Peeta" I whisper. His whole body turns around instantly. Of course this could all be part of his ambush but something tells me that, it is beneath him to do such a thing. In his hand he holds a sharp dagger. I take a quick step back and reassure myself it is just for his safety. His eyes lock onto mine.

"Why'd you want to talk to me?" He asks, his fingers still laced around the knife.

"Do you mind putting it away?" I say motioning with my head towards the life threatener. His eyes stare at me for a little before giving in to my request and pocketing the knife. I slyly wrap my hand around mine inside my pocket.

"Why did you want to see me?" He repeats.

"I wanted to talk to you. I want to see where your allegiance lies"

"What's it to you?" He asks confused more so than harshly.

"I'm just curious. Are you forever a career?"

Peeta's eyes wander, looking to the left and then the right. He shakes his head.

"Ah I see. Why are you with them now then?" I ask, continuing the interrogation. For a moment I think he will refuse to answer but he shows no hesitation.

"Same reason you are." I give him a confused glance, only just visible in the darkened night. "I'm keeping an eye on them" _Was Peeta really this deceptive? _"Okay now can you answer my questions? Firstly, why did you warn me the other night?"

My eyes look down at the ground, lost in thought. _How am I supposed to answer that? There is no way I could say the truth, in front of him, in front of the whole of Panem. That would just make me seem childlike. It would destroy any chances of sponsors._ "Because, I want you for an ally" I say, only being half the truth.

"What?" Peeta asks confusion vivid on his face. "Why do you want me to be your ally?"

"Because you would be a helpful asset"

"What, why?"

"It would be great to have someone on the inside" _Yes it's true that I already do, but Peeta, he is the inner inside. He actually talks to them and spends majority of his time with them._ That's what I tell myself anyways, I already know the real answer though.

"I don't know…" He stutters. A moment of silence hangs in the air before he gives in. "Okay. What do you want to know?" A small unnoticeable smile creeps up on my face,

"Not now. Tomorrow, same place, when the sun is directly overhead. Okay?" I wait for the approving nod of the head before turning away.

"Wait" He calls. I turn back around to face him. "I never got your name" he says almost too friendlily. A small smile finds its way onto my face.

"In time…" I say as I turn and run away from him.

* * *

As the sun's rays penetrate the canopy of the forest I cannot help but take a moment to admire the scenery laid out in front of me. The ground resembles an inverse coat of a Dalmatian, the scattered spots of light surrounded by the dark. The trees around me stand up like towers, making me feel miniscule in the comparison. I sit myself at the base of a rather tall tree which seems to stand out from the others. Almost everything about this tree differs from that of a normal one. The bark is a lighter shade of brown that reminds me of a wooden horse I had once. The leaves are a folly red, the trunk three times the size of any of the surrounding trees and even the texture is a much softer one. To the right of me, red shrimp flowers match the colour combination of the leaves. I pluck a flower from the stem and take a deep breath, inhaling the beautiful scent. The sweet pollen reminds me of home…

"Finch?" I jump at the abrupt sound, dropping the flower.

"Ian? What are you doing here?" I ask as I look up to see the pair of light brown eyes I have come to know. "I thought you said you couldn't come today?"

"I did say that. I just really wanted to see you, that's all"

"Why?" I ask, frankly a little annoyed. _I was meant to be seeing Peeta… I didn't want to tell him about Ian… or vice versa for that matter._Now don't get me wrong, it's not that I am trying to play some type of love scandal, after all I know for a fact Peeta loves Katniss and secondly I think such a thing would be quite inappropriate.

"I just like to see you… you make me feel like everything is okay and you make me forget that we are in a death tournament. You cloud my head from the reality we face… and I'm thankful for it. I can see you're a little busy though… so I'll talk to you later then" The brunette turns and prepares to take a step that I won't let him take. I grasp his hand.

"No. Stay. Please." There was no way I could just let him walk after what he said. It was so sweet. I can feel my cheeks burning up, the blush obviously very clear on my face and I turn away in shame. I feel Ian's hand gently seize my right cheek and turn my head towards him.

"It makes you look beautiful. Don't be ashamed" This only creates more blush. "It matches your hair" He whispers behind his gentle smile.

"I don't think that is a good thing"

"Of course it is, I love that colour" My eyes fall to the floor, taken back by the sudden compliments. When I bring my eyes back up, they fasten onto the brown eyes in front of me, unable to blink bounded by the moment. Ian's lips near mine and suddenly my eyes are allowed to close just like that. My lips touch his before they slowly come off.

"Ian, what just happened?" I ask confused by my actions. He gives me a puzzled facial expression.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asks sadly.

"No. I just don't think these circumstances are fair for either of us to pretend to have something we won't ever be able to grasp." The boy's face droops.

"Hello?" A voice calls quietly from behind the tree.

"Over here!" I call as I look from where the voice came, surely enough a few moments later Peeta's face emerges.

"You know you should really be more precise with your instructions, I've been looking for you for a while"

"And I've been waiting for a while" I shoot him a cheeky smile.

"Umm what's he doing here?" Ian asks, his hand trembling around his sword that the careers had granted him. I put my arm in front of him to prevent any action.

"I told him to come"

"What? Are you crazy? Why?" Ian asks, his hand still grasping his sword tightly.

"We will be stronger in numbers and besides Peeta will be quite an asset. Please don't doubt my actions; I know what I'm doing" Ian lets out a rather aggravated exhale before turning to the boy standing in front of us. I know that majority of that anger channelled at Peeta isn't because of him. He is angry that I had blown him off after kissing him… but what was I meant to do? Someone would have ended up getting hurt. Really hurt. And I definitely didn't want to be the cause of that. Better he hates me now then mourn my death later.

"You're allied with him?" Peeta asks, a little shocked.

"Yeah we've been allies for a few days now and have been thinking of ways to eliminate the competition"

"Oh, and what have you came up with?" I pause for a moment. _Should I tell him? No. He has been getting pretty chummy with the girls… he might cave on us and try to save them; maybe when I am certain when his allegiance is one hundred percent with us. _"At the moment? Nothing. Have any ideas?" I see the questioned look that Ian shoots me but ignore it.

"To be honest I don't have the slightest clue. Cato is pretty aggressive. When he gets angered he doesn't think straight. Maybe you could use that to your advantage?" He suggests.

"True but how are we supposed to anger him that much?" Ian retorts.

"Well… I was almost killed when I said his girlfriend had bad aim… so maybe something along the lines of that?"

"Okay, but that is only one out of four. What about the other three?" Ian snarls.

"I don't know! Stop interrogating me will you? I don't even know who you are! Or you!" He says shifting his eyes on to me. Anger is contagious it seems…

"Calm down both of you!" I scold. The boys both instantly look to the ground as if ashamed of their actions and I cannot help but smile at the oddity of the situation. The same expression would be seen on a five year old who was in trouble for stealing a cookie. "Oh and I'm Finch" I take a short breath before continuing "Finch Tugella" Peeta grins and I am instantly taken back to that day in the training room where his smile blinds me with its purity. It just makes me want to smile as well.

"It's great to finally get to meet you for you and not some mysterious girl" He says as he outstretches a hand. "Peeta Mellark" He says as my hand tightens around his in which I shake. _Mellark…what a nice surname…_ The grasp is disconnected and Peeta holds his hand out to Ian who shakes it.

"Ian Greveltska"

"Nice to meet you Ian" Peeta says. "What now?"

"Why don't you tell us about yourself? After all we should know a thing or two about our newest ally" Ian says, it is clear that there is still annoyance in his voice but thankfully a much toned down variant of himself before. _I hope Peeta doesn't take it too harshly…_

My ears sharpen as I listen to what Peeta has to say. Turns out he is the youngest of three brothers and a baker. I initially feel a hint of envy at his statement. _It must be great to do what you want and have a loving family… _

"What about you two?" Peeta asks.

Ian is now talking and though I have heard this before I cannot help but feel intrigued to this boy's story.

"That was your sister that suicided?" Peeta asked shocked. Ian nods dismally. "I'm so sorry…" He says as he gives Ian an encouraging pat on the back. "What about you Finch?"

I am taken aback. I should've expected this. It only made sense seeming as the other two just shared their story that I would have to go next. "Umm" I start, my throat drying and my lips cracking. I can feel my eyes widening and I suppress the tears that threaten to fall. _No. There is no way anyone can make me relive those moments. I am never going back there. NEVER! _"Sorry, I just can't handle that discussion at the moment" I say, trying to contain my emotions as my voice threatens to fall into the anger, the sadness, and the depression of which I feel inside. The guys seem to understand and they don't ask any more questions about the touchy subject.

* * *

Night time is upon me and the coolness lingers in the air. I am back inside my cave, the sweet rocky walls which I have come to love. The protection and comfort in which they offer me is a great breakthrough in the games for me. So sure the ground isn't soft and warm and sure the roof leaks occasionally… but, no one will find me. That's what matters to me. I want to be able to sleep without having nightmares about what could be happening in real life right now. I just need some time without fear just so I can keep my sanity for a little longer. I take a swig from my water bottle which now needs refilling… but why worry? I have two allies who have the ability to get me what I need in terms of liquid and food. They can simply walk right over to the lake with all the careers watching them and not be questioned. Instantly I feel like a burden. _I am making them get me what I need and what am I doing for them in return? Not a thing. _I am suddenly annoyed at myself for being useless. Not for long though, because my mind refuses to rest on one topic and instead it must torture me in every way. _My brain and I. What great friends we are…_

I find myself thinking about Ian. Or more specifically what we had shared. _Ian likes me…? I don't understand why. What could he see in me? _For some reason though this makes me feel enlightened. I get that warm fuzzy feeling I had only experienced once before… with my mother. But this is not the time to think about family, I am to overcome with joy to give family a second thought. _Do I like him back?_ I allow myself sometime to think before coming to a one worded conclusion… which I toss out. _What does it matter anyways? Even if I did I wouldn't be able to have him. _I may only know a limited amount of information on the hunger games but what I do know is certain:

Only one person comes out.

(OOC: Review guys please! Thanks for everybody for reading this far and sticking with me! Clove's POV will be next! Oh and me and my friend own a HG page on facebook, it's called 'Seneca Train' maybe show some love and check it out ? SenecaTrain?ref=ts)


	9. Bestowed Beauty

(OOC: Clove's POV! Whew! Got it up in the same day! Aren't I awesome? Haha, hopefully that's a good change for everyone!  
NinjaJacq - Maybe you were reading another fanfiction before where Peeta was a mentor and david was the tribute? And thank you!  
crimson11116 - Awesome. Thanks! And Peeta will be paired with... nope sorry you're going to have to wait it out :P Time will reveal all [aren't I a troll?])

**Chapter 9 – Bestowed Beauty**

I rustle in my sleep. Why is it that whenever you try to go to sleep you start thinking about every little detail of things, more specifically the events of today and yesterday. _Peeta had kissed Glimmer… _it was a peculiar sort of news to process. I know it isn't of my business but I can' help but feel … numb. I'm not really sure why. I had been talking to Glimmer all day today and she is still broken hearted about it. _Oh, I nearly forgot, Marvel woke. It took a while but he is finally up. Now I just hope Cato follow's in his footsteps… and quickly, I'm sure the citizens are getting bored now, and when that happens all hell rains for us…_

_Where had Peeta been? He disappeared around midday and came back a few hours later. He claims he was just going for a walk… Do I believe that though? I don't know. Maybe he was, maybe he was just trying to relax a little, after all exercise is a great way to forget about your problems. He has been awfully high-strung the last couple of days. I think he is angry at himself. Leave Peeta to be in the middle of a fight to the death and the only person he can be angry with is himself. _A smile creeps up on my face. _He has such a sweet nature…_

* * *

I wake from my slumber feeling rejuvenated. I don't know when I had fell asleep but I had it seems. For a moment I just stay still, gazing into the dark green canvas above which shelters me. _Green. The colour of grass, trees and … envy._ I roll over and see Glimmer, the figure that makes the boys swoon over her… even in a fight to the death.

"Clove?" A tiny voice whispers from outside. "You up?"

"Yeah" I say as I scrape the sleep from my eyes.

"Can I talk to you?" The voice's owner is clear now. It is too masculine to be Glimmer's and too gentle to be Marvel's.

"Sure" I say before crawling out making sure Glimmer is not awoken in the process. As I exit the tent there are two things that stand out. The first is Peeta's blonde hair which seems to shimmer in the sunlight. The second is the boy's blue eyes that glisten like ice. He grabs me by my arm, thankfully not the one that is connected to my injured shoulder, and pulls me away from the tent.

"It's about Glimmer" _Why was he talking to me about this? Why not talk to the girl herself?_ "What do I do?" I know that he is referring to the depressed mood she is in and how she seems to avoid him every moment of the day.

"You want her to be normal?"

"Yes, at the moment more than anything. It kills me to see her this way." Peeta's words are sincere and the numbness is back.

"There's really only one thing you can do"

"What?" My heart starts pounding. _Why am I getting like this? _

"You'll have to go out with her. You'll have to tell her it wasn't a mistake. You'll have to tell her it was what you wanted and more importantly what you need" Peeta's eyes stare back at me; they look like glass at the moment.

"Clove! I can't!" He says raising his voice. "I love Katniss! And I'm pretty sure once Cato wakes he won't want me going out with his girlfriend! If he almost killed me because I said something against her what do you think he will do when I take her away from him?!" I feel sorry for Peeta. I know what he means, he is scared.

"Well do you like her?" I ask knowing he won't be clear on his answer.

"Of course" My heart stops pounding and the numbness strengthens. _Why is my body acting like this? _"But I love Katniss more"

"Well tell her you want to be with her but are scared about Cato finding out. Lie and tell her that she is the only girl for you"

"I don't know Clove, I hate to lie" _Why should he care about morals? I think he has bigger issues at the moment._

"It's a white lie. No one will get hurt" How wrong I was.

"I guess if it will help her be herself again then I don't really have a choice. Thanks Clove you always know what to say" I suppress the smile that I know is forming on my face.

"Want to go for another walk?" I ask.

"Not at the moment, I have to talk to Glimmer, I have to make things right even if it means wrong"

"She's not up yet" I scold myself for trying to smile again. _What the hell was wrong with me?_

"Oh well in that case, sure why not?"

* * *

I dangle my legs loosely over the cornucopia. It gives me the feeling of flying, as if I am lighter than air. My eyes skim over to the boy beside me. He is lying down against the metallic frame, beneath me. Not directly beneath me though, we both know what happened last time…

I love getting out. The last few days have been terrible; we have been stuck in the camp all day besides from when Peeta and I decided to see a brook. I mentally smile and praise myself for not letting it show. Back in District Two Cato and I were always training. We were always doing exercise. It's a little ironic actually, we do so much exercise training for this one moment but since the blood bath things have definitely been quite laid back… with exception to that tree girl. My mind rewinds back to my camp thoughts.

"Peeta… where did you go yesterday?" My question is initially met by silent air, which confirms Peeta's hesitation.

"Uh just for a walk why?" I frown at his words.

"You were gone an awful long time for a walk…"

"I went down by the brook and accidently fell asleep…" He says, his voice showing embarrassment.

"Peeta!" I scold. "You shouldn't be sleeping out in the open like that! Do you know how dangerous that is?" I remind myself of my mother. She always used to get angry at my father when he started to teach me how to use knives. I was four then. My father was one of the best knife throwers ever seen in the game. He puts me to shame. He made me watch his games and learn from it over and over. At the breakfast table he quizzes me and Cascade about every little detail of the games, which by now I have come to know off by heart.

"I know! I didn't mean to! I just blinked and forgot to open my eyes…" This would have made me laugh but I didn't want to give up the seriousness of the moment.

"Well promise me you won't do it again!" Suddenly my attention is broken and I feel as if I am being watched.

"Okay, okay I promise… why did you want to know? Did you miss me?" Peeta says cheekily but my ears are not on him. Instead they are listening intensely to the sounds of nature, trying to see if they can pick up something, anything that doesn't belong.

"Clove?" The voice brings me back, and I turn to face Peeta.

"Oh, sorry"

"Clove what's wrong?" His voice has changed to seriousness.

"Someone's watching us" I murmur.

"What? Where?" He asks shocked.

"I don't know where. I just know somewhere we are being watched"

"Well that's quite likely considering we are on 'The Hunger Games' where everyone is forced to watch us" I push away his light-hearted teasing. _My instincts never lie. Someone is near._ My eyes scan the forest carefully, looking for a hint to support the feeling. That's when I see it. A pair of blue eyes, that rest amongst the blueberries. For a moment I mistake them as berries but I know better.

"I see them" I whisper, lowering myself to the ground and grabbing a knife. I'm not going to let anyone jeopardise this. Peeta simply eyes me before standing up and joining my side. The pair of blue eyes in the distant blink in curiosity. _Poor soul thinks he/she is still incognito._ Of course I feel bad about taking another person's life but I understand it is what is needed for survival. I start sprinting towards the bush, in which the watcher sits. They have realised something is wrong. They know their cover is no longer. I can hear Peeta's footsteps behind me; he is confused but nevertheless following me.

The figure stands up shocked and for a moment our eyes meet. She is a girl, about the age of sixteen or seventeen. Her nose is slender, and her fair complexion makes her eyes pierce out even more underneath her auburn hair. Peeta no longer doubts me and his pace is fastening. The girl turns and starts sprinting away, she is fast but I am faster. My pace is gaining on the girl; she is only an odd forty metres ahead. My hand brings the knife up.

_Thirty-five…_ My hand tightens around the hilt. Adrenaline courses my body and gives me an out of body experience. I watch myself get closer and closer…

_Thirty metres…_ I watch myself throw the dagger. It curves around the tree behind the girl and I observe as she rolls forward on the ground. The dagger swishes past her hair missing her ear by millimetres. I take a moment to admire her agility before preparing my next throw….

The forest floor on which the chase takes place is littered with logs and fallen trees. I jump over a protruding obstacle and land on another, falling in the shock of landing on something. My hands shoot in front of my, lessening the impact of the ground. I let out a grunt before I push myself up again and continue the chase. The girl has gained an easy twenty metres on me but determination has never failed me. My legs exert painful amounts of force upon the ground, granting me the space I need to close. _Forty metres… _My hand prepares itself for the throw.

_Thirty five… _I aim the knife perfectly. A sadistic grin crosses my face as I know this knife will not miss.

_Thirty… _ The knife is brought backwards and I am about to throw it forwards… when my balance is overthrown and I am falling back on the ground… again. I look up to see what had made me lose my balance. The same pair of eyes that whisper of redemption and salvation stand over me. _Peeta had pushed me…_

"I'm sorry are you okay?" He asks, his voice sincere and kind but I push it away, anger filling me. He puts out a hand to help me up but I do not want his help. I have a tribute to finish off. I push off the ground once more and get to my feet. I put my right foot out exerting force before falling to the ground in agony. "Clove!" The boy shouts, as he tries to help me up, but like before I do not want his help and just because I am weak at the moment doesn't mean I'm going to crumble. I push the pain inside of me and get back to my feet, attempting once more to get to the girl who is now slipping away, far out of my grasp. _If I can only just run… _I know that isn't a smart idea though but the situation doesn't let me see that. I start limping, slowly and work my way into a fast walk speed. My legs are getting more into the idea and they are slowly speeding up. From a fast walking pace I go into a slow jog. I can hear Peeta calling my name from behind. Something about how it isn't a good idea to put any weight on my foot but what do I care, I have come too far to back out now. I can't look weak in front of the whole of Panem. I know every television is featuring me right now. The pain grows in my right ankle but I box the emotion away. My pace quickens and now I am normally jogging. For a vague moment I think that the pain has gone, that I am finally left with whatever is left after it. Why does pain have to be so torturous? It allows me hope then stabs me with agony; it thrives off my fading self-esteem. I am almost forced to stop but I somehow push on. _You don't own me. I can overcome you. _These inspirational thoughts bounce through my head as I now move into a quick jog. I can hear Peeta's steps closing in on me. _I can't look into his eyes one more time…_ I force myself to go faster, the pain is now excruciating but I move on... as fast as I can. I am now in a fast sprint.

"Clove! Please!" Peeta cries. My heart makes me want to turn, it makes me want to go back to the comforting boy… but I am no slave to a part of me that is so feeble. My brain is smarter; I trust it more than any traitor. Yet my heart keeps struggling. It simply needs me to turn. As a compromise I turn my head slightly, just to get a glimpse of the boy. That small glimpse is enough my brain tells me and my head snaps forwards to my surroundings. Too late though.

My head smashes right into the tree in front of me and I land on my back. The air is leaving my lungs all too fast. My mouth inhales at an attempt to get some air back into my rapidly deflating lungs. I have only ever felt this feeling once before. I was seven. My father took me to the park, there, there was a nice group of trees, tall, bushy and with many branches standing out, the perfect trees to climb. That was why my father took me here. He wanted to teach me to climb, to give me another strength in the games, one that the training schools didn't offer. They had only focused on combat, but my dad wanted me to be able to be a killing machine. He wanted me to be able to leap from tree to tree making death rain on all who were below. He told me trees were great, they were nature's protection. He told me that people rarely look above their line of sight so what better place to take people out from? Anyways, I was scared. I had never climbed a tree before but dad persisted that I do it. Eventually I mustered the courage needed and pulled myself up the first branch. I looked at the ground and was terrified. It was only half a metre high but to me it felt ninety. I remember myself screaming that I wanted to come down but dad wouldn't hear a word of it. He kept telling me to try and that I was going great. I bought those words and went up another branch. He told me not to look at the ground so I kept my head up and kept climbing. "You're doing it!" He yelled happily, back then I was young and naive. I wanted to see my dad happy. I wanted to see him cheer me on. I looked down at him and I freaked out again. I was about thirteen metres in the air now. I was so scared that I lost my grip. I had fallen. I vaguely remember dad screaming as he tried to catch me but he was too late. I had hit the ground. Hard. I laid there gasping for air, for the sustenance, for the only thing that could save my life. My fingers clawed the ground desperately, my legs thrashed wildly. Until my vision blackened. I woke up in hospital with dad sitting by my bed. The first words I said to him is "Please don't make me go up there again" His head nodded, his watery eyes standing out like a spear amongst dandelions.

Just like that day I experienced several years ago I felt no air. I felt no hope. I felt weak and like a child again in need of her father to come to her rescue. Of course he can't help me now.

"Clove!" My eyes are falling victim to the darkness again and I worry that without the hospitals help I will not wake up. I struggle with them, I need to keep them open I know it's also possible that I have a concussion and I know for a fact sleep will not help. The front of my head hurts as bad as my right ankle. _Why me… why now? _The pain is climaxing. If my eyes don't fall from want I know they will soon fall from pain. Peeta is sitting by me now. "Don't fall asleep!" He screams. _Yeah like I didn't know that already… _the dagger that I had held is to the side of me and as I roll and look at the weapon I don't see the weapon. I see me, reflecting back from the dirty metallic blade. I look horrific. My face has lost all pink, all colours that resemble human life. Instead, in its place is a disgusting anguished blue. I didn't want to die like this. I didn't want to look so ugly. I wanted to die in grace. I wanted to die in beauty. My eyes scan the death scene, the dirt isn't a rich colour but instead a gritty light brown shade. To the right of me a dead willow stands up, looking eerie. Scattered along the ground thorns stick up, littering the earth with their hate. No this is not where I wanted to die. There is no beauty here. There are no birds filling the air with their beautiful songs. There is no sun to penetrate the earth, no sun to give me the warmth and hope I need, instead dark clouds cover the sky. No beauty… maybe it suits me. My eyes flick back to the boy who compresses my chest. They fall onto his eyes. Suddenly I can let myself go. His eyes contain enough warmth; enough grace enough beauty for me to die with. I do not care that they are eyes of a traitor. No it seems my heart can look past that, even my brain now. They are too gentle. I manage a smile onto my face as my eyes close. _Such beautiful eyes…_

(OOC: Sorry guys to cut it there, it was such an emotional thing for me to write and I want to know if you felt that as well? Or any words of advice you felt! Please review!)


	10. Sweet Salvation

(OOC: Glimmer's perspective! I have finished my tenth chapter! I feel awesome right now =) It has reached 30k + words!)

**(EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! MUST READ! CHAPTER 5 AND 6 HAVE BEEN GLITCHY AND INSTEAD HAVE POSTED DUPLICATES OF OTHER CHAPTERS BUT I THINK THE GLITCH IS FIXED NOW. SO IF YOU HAVEN'T READ CHAPTER 5 AND 6 READ NOW. IT TELLS WHO CATO HAD SEX WITH [updated on 1st of October 2012])**

**Chapter 10 – Sweet Salvation**

I grab Cato's hand and hold it in mine. His hand is humongous compared to my petite hands. I press the back of my hand to his forehead. It is hot. Marvel tells me that is good, that he is desperately trying to break out of his comatose fever. Those words are my only comfort. I remove my hand from his burning head and lay down next to him. My heart is throbbing and I desperately try to ignore it. It has casted nothing but grief upon me. _Maybe it's because that's all it has been taught… _I rethink over my previous relationships. A total of five short-lived desires glint in my mind. But then again were they really? Looking back on it now, I'm not sure if I had ever experienced love for one of them. Then again… how do you define love? Is it desire for another? Isn't that what my mother tells me?

Than, how do I explain now? Do I desire Peeta? Yes, so much. What makes him more desirable than Cato though? It's not his body. Which is … strange. The only people who are more desirable are the ones whose looks are more glamorous… or so I've been told. So why do I feel so attracted to Peeta? He is hot, but he is nothing compared to Cato. So why would I leave Cato so willingly for Peeta? Maybe it's because I can't have him. Maybe the situation of his heart being so untouchable only makes me lust for him more… Perhaps this is just a challenge to me? Well regardless of what it is, I want him.

"Help! Glimmer! Marvel!" The sudden screaming startles me, making my thoughts dissipate. I let go of Cato's arm, of which I was unaware I was even holding on to. _Why was Peeta yelling like that?_ His voice sounds tortured and frightened. I scramble to my knees, crawling out of the tent's door. My heart stops as I look at the image bestowed before me. Clove lays lifeless, sprawled out before me.

"You'll have to do CPR" Marvel commands and in no time Peeta is on top of her. His hands pushing just below her breasts. "Thirty compressed for every two breaths…" I watch, stunned in horror at the sight of my friend on the verge of death. I silently pray in my mind for her life. "26,27" Marvel counts. "30! Breath" Marvel pinches Clove's nose, closing her nostrils. Peeta lowers his head down to Clove's, and for a moment I feel extremely jealous for with his lips he refuses to touch mine anymore yet here his lips are so freely satisfying another's. "Compressions again" Peeta's hands move back towards their starting position.

This process continues for hours, during that time we lose Clove's heart beat three times, the situation looks bleak but no one is willing to give in to the fear we all feel. Over that time I have managed to move myself up to the black-haired girl. Her hand rests in mine. I squeeze it hard, more so for my comfort than hers. I had thought I could handle this. I thought I can handle people I know dying. I was wrong. Marvel puts his index and middle finger to her throat, searching frantically for a pulse. This is a pulse he doesn't find. He brings back his hand, dread smeared across his face. Peeta speeds up his compressions, hoping she is okay, hoping against everything that she will wake and that she is not too far gone. _C'mon Clove… please! _Peeta's lips encase around Clove's once again but this time I feel neither jealousy nor longing. Peeta's face comes back with tears sliding down his squared jaw and landing on her cheek. This was just one more thing that made Peeta different to Cato, as Cato would never want to look so weak. Marvel stood up, knowing it was already too late for her.

"She's gone" His bitter words, echoing in the air.

"No." Peeta whispered. I put my hand on Peeta's back trying to comfort him and control my emotions at the same time.

"You did everything you could Peeta" I whisper to him.

"No" He says angrily. Seeing his reaction almost makes me cry right there. Death is sad but seeing other's grief because of it, is unbearable. I have to turn my eyes from him before the tears come. The boy pushes down on her chest and continues with his compressions.

"Peeta! You heard Marvel, it's too late!" I shout, my eyes tearing up at his denial. The boy ignores me and breathes into her mouth. "Peeta!" Tears are now running down my face freely. He starts compressing again. I clench my eyes shut, it seems to hold back some of the tears. When they open, I find myself staring at Clove's eyelids. It's strange to think I will never get to see those dark brown eyes again...

"Argh!" I scream, startled. Peeta gives me a confused look. _So now he doesn't ignore me… _"Her eyes… they opened…" I stutter, fear rapidly deteriorating into joy. The hours we spent weren't in vain. Peeta's smile soon disappears.

"They're not opened" _Wait, what? _I look back at the girl's face and sure enough they're closed. _I was sure I had seen them… _Peeta puts his lips on to hers. _I must've imagined it. She must really be gone._ That's when I see it again. Her eyes are opened while Peeta's lips are on her. He takes his lips away and she closes her eyes again. _What the hell? I know I saw it that time. So what is she doing?_ Peeta takes a breath before putting his lips back on hers. Her eyes open again. _What the hell?_ I push Peeta off of Clove.

"Clove, you're alive" I say faking my happy voice. _Don't get me wrong I am happy she is alive but I'm kind of peeved at her little stunt just then… _

"What happened?" Clove's eyes blink warily. _You don't fool me._

"We thought you were dead Clove!" Peeta shouts, wrapping his arms around the girl, which hugs back. Jealousy boils in me. _I wish she would get her hands off of him. She knows I like him… _

"You ran into a tree…" I say rolling my eyes. Marvel shoots me a filthy look.

"How'd I get here?" Clove asks confused.

"I carried you here. You had me; I mean all of us really worried. We have been trying to revive you for ages"

"Wow, you all did that for me? Thank you so much. I'm really sorry to put so much stress on you guys" Clove says as she looks Peeta in the eye. What's worst? He's looking back at her.

"Just promise to not die on us anytime soon, okay?" Peeta says.

"Yeah, we have enough to worry without you trying to die on us" I add. Marvel shoots me another look.

"You're right, I'm sorry" Clove's voice full of shame.

"You should probably get some rest Clove" Marvel suggests. _Oh yeah because she is tired from a whole day of making out with her friend's crush… _"Actually we probably all should, we have all had a pretty intense day"

* * *

I retired to bed early that night. I wanted to fall asleep before Clove came in. _How could she do that?_ _I had always thought Clove wasn't into guys. Now I'm not saying I thought she was a lesbian, I'm just saying I thought she frowned upon the whole 'love' thing. Well apparently she doesn't frown on kissing other's guys._ I try desperately to get to sleep but my brain won't let me. It seems all it wants to do is smoulder. I toss my blonde hair out of my eyes and let out a troubled sigh. _That's fit for this moment isn't it?_ _Let me see... my friend kissed the guy I liked, my current boyfriend is in a coma umm and I'm in a middle of a death tournament. Yes I think it is fit._

Footsteps near the tent slowly. _Clove… _Just who I really don't want to see. The door rustles for a moment before her head emerges. She crawls down next to me and clambers into her sleeping bag.

"Hey Glimmer, you up?" I lie for a moment, motionless.

"What do you want?" I mutter

"Are you alright Glimmer?" I turn to glare at her. "Are you angry at me?"

"Wow how'd you manage to connect the dots?" I retort mockingly.

"Glimmer? What did I do?"

"Clove I saw your little stunt, so don't bullshit me" Clove's jaw drops.

"What stunt? What are you talking about?!" She replies flustered.

"Oh for crying out loud Clove! You kissed Peeta!" Clove stares at me shocked.

"I didn't kiss him! He was giving me CPR for god's sake! What the hell is wrong with you?!" I take a deep breath, trying madly to calm myself. _But how can I when she acts so ignorant?_

"Clove. You were awake. Your eyes were open. They were open for at least four of the resuscitations" My voice much calmer.

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you like him. As soon as I told you he was hot you were all over him"

"Um, excuse me? Are you mentally insane?! I like Peeta as a friend, nothing more! And why on earth would I go after him, ulterior to you telling me you liked him? How low do you think I am?" _Was she telling the truth?_ My eyes concentrate on her face. Her expressions are angered. Her eyes are narrowed and her eyebrows are slanted. _Her countenance doesn't betray her words… Maybe it was just a symptom caused by her state…_ "Now if you don't mind I'm going to sleep" I know I should apologise but I have already made myself look like a huge idiot, I don't want to look like an idiot who changes their mind every two minutes. _I'll apologise tomorrow…_

* * *

My fingers tangle themselves around my hair. My gritty disgusting hair. _I could really use a shower._ I look over to the other side of the tent to see empty space. _Clove must already be up…_ I crawl out the tent and see the sun almost directly at zenith. _I must have worn myself out with all that drama yesterday… _I spot Clove and Marvel sitting by the fire talking and eating. For an instant I wonder where Peeta is but decide against the thought, _I could use some alone time for a while anyway._ I sneak past the duo, not quite prepared at the moment to speak to Clove and ask for her forgiveness. _Ick, pleading has never suited me…_

My feet stride amongst the lush grass, the lawn feels like pillows on my heels. I arrive at the lake with a smile on my face. I can't wait to feel the water lapping at my skin. I strip off my clothes and undergarments, rinsing them in the water before placing them on a rock to dry. I turn back to the water and dive in. My initial reaction is to get out as quickly as possible but after a moment it turns into a refreshing feeling and I'm invigorated to stay. I surface my head and put my feet on the ground. Here the water is a bit higher than waist level.

"Umm Glimmer…" My eyes open and across from me, Peeta stands awkwardly, half submerged as well. I let out a terrified shriek before covering myself with my hands.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" I only just notice that Peeta isn't wearing anything either. His solid six pack standing out like a diamond in the rough. My eyes lower slightly, revealing a dark brown tuft of hair and –

"No, it's fine. I don't really mind. I just thought you might have" His voice wakes me from my perverting eyes.

"Oh, well in that case" I let my hands fall to my sides, revealing my breasts. Peeta's eyes train on them in awe. "You know it's rude to stare" I say, secretly pleased that he liked them. I watch his face blush.

"Sorry, you're quite well developed in that area…" He says behind a smile. A grin manages its way onto my face. My eyes return to his lower body, revealing his hard-on.

"You're not bad yourself" I say smirking as I dive under the water again. Under the water I get another good glimpse of his… package. I couldn't help but compare it to Cato's. It was a little bit shorter than his and a little thinner. Not by much though…

I stay under water for as long as possible, just so I can stare at it for a little bit longer. I find myself aroused not long after. I'm so lost in the moment that I almost forget to come up and breathe. I want to feel him inside of me. Something tells me he would make the experience last much longer than Cato…

"Well I think I'm done here, see you later Glimmer" He says, turning around and making his way out.

"Bye…" I murmur too deeply lost in thought, aka desire. As he makes his way out hit buttocks are now visible. They are bare and muscled. If only I could just touch him… if I could just get my hands on to him… My body shudders in lust. Lust for the boy…

My eyes are trained on him the whole time, watching his bare body slowly get dressed. _Why do we even bother with wearing clothes? The world would be a much… happier place without them._

* * *

After I had relieved myself from my aroused body I crawl out of my tent and find my way into Cato's. How angelic he looks in slumber, it was quite contrary to the way he acted with others. I kiss him, lightly on the cheek and I squeeze all of my feelings right now into it: Longing, desire to be desired, the need to feel loved. None of which were being fulfilled at the current time. Yet, this boy in front of me managed to quench all those feelings. He made me feel loved and desirable. I push my hands through his hair. I had always loved his blonde hair and its style. It was the first thing that stood out to me when we met. The second was his muscles…

"Glimmer?" A voice calls. Peeta's voice.

"Yeah?" I ask, removing my hands from Cato's hair.

"Can I talk to you?"

"Sure, come in" I wait for the rustle of the door that signifies his presence in the tent, only there is none.

"Actually, I was kind of hoping we could talk somewhere secluded?" _The guy's in a coma… how much more secluded can you get? _Regardless of my thoughts I oblige. I crawl out of the tent and reveal myself to Peeta, who is now fully clothed.

"You know, I think I liked naked Peeta better" I laugh, but Peeta raises his finger to his lips.

"Shh"

"What? Why? What are you worried about?"

"Cato might hear you" He whispers.

"Umm Peeta? The boy is comatose. I don't think he's going to process much"

"I have heard that if you're comatose, your dreams play out whatever you hear. Some people of which actually remember the person saying it when they awaken and I don't really want to be beaten to a pulp when he wakes up thanks" I let out a laugh in response.

"I think you're a little paranoid there Peeta" I say poking a tongue out.

"Maybe but its better safe than sorry" He says grabbing my hand and dragging me towards the cornucopia. At that moment in time, he could have taken me anywhere. His hand is course from all his time baking, but that does not bother me. To me they are the best texture in the world.

* * *

"Glimmer" Peeta starts. We both sit against the wall of the golden metal. Around us a few yellow dandelions grow where blood once pooled. The colour is a brighter variant of Cato's hair. The sky is a bright blue, almost the same colour as Peeta's gentle the grass is about double the height of a properly kept lawn. My eyes at the moment train onto Peeta's smooth face. "I've been thinking a lot lately" _How beautiful his eyes are… _"And I've come to the conclusion" His voice breaks, nerves seeking through. He grabs my hand again, and like before I melt. "I love you"

My heart stops completely and I'm worried that I may die from no blood circulating if not from shock first or joy. My hand tightens around his, clawing him a little. _Am I awake? Is this a dream? _

"I love you Glimmer" He repeats. My eyes tear. I cannot help it. This is the happiest moment I've ever had. The words roll on his tongue like some beautiful mirage. Only this mirage is real.

"Glimmer?" I cannot speak though. I am too amazed. I am too shocked; words could not form in my mouth no matter how much I want them too. This boy has not only taken my heart but my voice. He has left me with nothing. Nothing but the beautiful feeling I feel inside. Nothing but his heart in return and I know for a fact I wouldn't have it any other way.

My brain may be scattered... but his words are clear. He loves me. He actually loves me.

(I hope you read chapter 5 and 6 like I said before, and thanks for making it to ten chapters! Review and tell me what you think! PRETTY PLEASE? I love always hearing what you guys think!)


	11. Dealing Repercussions

(OOC:Sorry guys, I know I said 4-7 days but I have just become over swamped by homework and school. I'm sorry but I will have to make the timeframe a little longer. 6-10 days. I'm sorry guys, I'm definitely going to continue writing because I love your reviews! Now back to the chapter: Cato's POV, expect repercussions to be dealt… [you know, just in case for some reason you can't read the chapter's name… XD])

Crimson11116 - My friend, all will be revealed in time! Until then I will just enjoy your guessing XD  
Ninjajacq- Yay! I'm so glad that I'm having that effect! I hope I don't let you down with this chapter!  
Glato.4ever- Aw thanks! That is great, i'm so glad I've been intriguing you!  
Dragonmaster1296- Thanks! The next chapter is now XD Sorry for the wait!  
AnnaMellark- That is so awesome! Thank you so much for your words! And to answer your question, I may be able to arrange something! Any ideas for one, for me? But I really do want to complete this fanfic, and it will have a long time to go, but who knows maybe I can learn to multitask? =D

**Chapter 11- Dealing Repercussions**

_I feel unnaturally happy today and there is only one thing I want to do. I want to spend this day on my true love; Glimmer. I walk through the field and up to her tent where I know she will be. As I stand outside of her tent I can smell her sweet fragrance. It is a mixture of flowers and cinnamon. There is nothing that I want more than to hold the beautiful girl in my arms and inhale her precious aroma. Yes I can feel it now; the smoothness of her skin pressing against mine. Oh how I long for that feeling. I am about to enter when I hear talking._

"_You know I think I liked naked Peeta better…" Her playful voice says. I shake my head in disbelief. __**No. There is no way she just said that. My ears deceive me!**_

"_Shh!" Peeta hushes._

"_What? Why? What are you worried about?"_

_Peeta's voice is put to a whisper and my ears strain to hear the words. "Cato might hear you" The cruel traitorous words echo in my head over and over again, terrorizing every inch of my mind and heart. Glimmer's giggling fills the silence._

"_Umm Peeta? The boy is comatose. I don't think he is going to process much." __**What? What is she talking about? I'm right here… **_

_Silence drowns the air and I cannot bear it anymore. I have to talk to Glimmer. I need her desperately to tell me it was all just a huge misunderstanding. I push open the tent door and scream… because on Glimmer's naked body is Peeta, just as bare. The couple don't seem to notice me and Peeta continues to lustfully thrust himself inside of Glimmer and what's worst? Glimmer's hands rub up and down the boy's body in desire._

"_Oh Peeta…" She moans in pure ecstasy. __**No. I'm not seeing this. This isn't real.**__ "Peeta!" A part of my heart dies. No, not a part. All. To hear her moan another man's name destroys me. "I'm so glad Cato's comatose" __**Comatose? **__Peeta's head goes right up to hers. _

"_Fuck Cato, your body belongs to me" The words don't penetrate my brain; her last word still rings in my mind. __**Comatose… comatose… I'm comatose… I'm comatose? I'm comatose…**_

I awake with a sudden jolt. The cruel nightmare lingers in my head. _Why would my mind even think that? Glimmer would never betray me like that. She wouldn't cheat on me. Would she? _I laugh at myself for such idiotic thoughts. _No, there is no way. Especially not with Peeta. _My laughing fills my ears again and the unnatural happiness that I had experienced in my dream comes back to me. _I'm going to hold Glimmer right now. It feels as if I haven't seen her for days. _I push myself up, regardless of the weakness I feel. _What the hell was wrong with me? One little sleep and I am as frail as the clouds. _As I crawl out I cannot help noticing how feeble my joints are. _What the heck? My body has never been this messed up after one little sleep before. _I am taken back by the sun's power as its' rays blind me, almost forcing me to take refuge back inside the dark walls of the tent. Powered by the sheer thought of being defeated by something so miniscule I push myself on.

I creep over to her and Clove's tent. My heart starts racing again and I am paranoid that my nightmare will play out right now. Despite my worries I manage to slip the words out. "Glimmer?" I wait a moment, ignoring the agonized cries from my rumbling stomach. "Glimmer you there?" My ears sharpen and I am greeted by noise. Those of which belong to footsteps.

"Cato! You're up!" I turn to see a boy, slightly taller than me; Marvel.

"Nice observation Marvel. Where's Glimmer?"

"We thought you wouldn't wake"

"You're hilarious. So I slept in, isn't the end of the world" _Yet._ "Now where's Glim?" I say, losing my happy-feel-goodness I had before.

"I think she went off to the cornucopia, with loverboy… " I wrap my hand around his shirt and pull his face up to mine. Well, more accurately down.

"Don't fuck with me Marvel" I shout.

"I'm not" My eyes scan his face, looking for any clear give away of his words. His expression remains blank, laced with a slight coat of fear. I drop my clenched hand away from his shirt making sure to leave it clenched. _Why the hell would Glim be with Peeta at the cornucopia? _I turn aggressively away from Marvel and stomp off towards my next destination; the cornucopia.

!

My feet crunch, stepping heavily on the grass below me. I am now at the very edge of the forest and in front of me stands the golden walls of the cornucopia, sitting against the wall are two figures… connected by hand contact. My hands tremble with jealousy fuelled only with rage. _Glimmer has played me… for Peeta… _I cannot help but take a few sprinting steps towards the in-love pair. _How dare he touch her; SHE IS MINE. _I am halfway towards the couple when Peeta spots me and lets go of her hand instantaneously. The dread on his face enlightens me. I am three quarters of the way when Glimmer notices me.

"Cato!" She screams apprehensively. "Stop!" I do not stop. If anything I speed up. Peeta has now stood up and tries effortlessly to climb up the cornucopia. Too bad he will never get up. I shoulder barge the boy, sending him flying a few metres before landing on his back in front of me.

"I thought you would have known not to fuck with me by now loverboy" Peeta gets back up on his feet; just in time for me to uppercut him. He falls back grasping his chin in anguish. "Get up" I scream at him. The boy rolls in discomfort. "Get the fuck up!" I roar. Peeta pushes himself off the ground again, weakly.

"Cato. Please. Don't do this" He says as calmly as ever. This only enrages me more. I pull my fist back, preparing all of my strength into this one punch. The shot aimed right at his head. I take a step back before lunging all of my weight forwards, at him ready for impact… and impact it gets, just a different target.

My eyes widen in alarm as Glimmer jumps in between the two of us. I try to pull back my arm, but I know it is far too late for that. My knuckles hit dead centre of Glimmer's left cheek where three teeth expel out of her mouth and she plummets to the ground, hard. For a moment I just look at my clenched hand in shock at my actions.

"Cato… please don't hurt Peeta… we're just friends. Friends hold hands…" She murmurs beneath her breath, words barely audible. I lean down to the girl whose eyes are now closed. I grip her hand in mine and lean over her.

"Glimmer?" I ask, not receiving a response. "I'm sorry…" I gander at her cheek where collision was made. Her once rosy cheek is now purple and at least three times bigger than usual. Blood trickles out of her mouth, the dark substance contrasting her beautifully pale lips. The palpitating of my heart intensifies. I vaguely hear the approaching footsteps of a concerned boy. I do not assert him until he is bent over Glimmer with sympathetic worry. "Please leave Peeta" I whisper desperately trying to contain the emotions which portends to rush out at any moment. The boy doesn't recognize the words and shows no understanding towards them. "Leave! Now!" I cry out, perturbation pushing its way into my voice. The boy is frightened but is determined to stay. _What is he doing?! _"Are you fucking deaf?! Just leave! Now!" I roar.

"Cato… I want to help her as well…" He murmurs. The boy flinches as my glare hits him before dissipating in the lights rays. I turn to the blonde haired girl and stroke her neck. I can't bear to fight the pain so I have to accept her words. _Why would she lie to me? Why would she prefer Peeta? He's nothing precious to look at. _

"Okay" I whisper. It is the only word there is to say at this time. I just can't believe I screwed our relationship over again…_ first I brutally assault her friend, then I had sex with that girl who had outscored us all in training who I let go at the expense of our wellbeing, bashed her friend… again and now I have knocked her out. Great work Cato… _My mind rewinds back to the brunette. _Why did I let her go? We could have killed her. Right there. Yet I let her go…_

"We should probably take her back to camp" Peeta's words cut through my thoughts like a well-aimed two handed sword. I nod in reply and follow his lead as he grabs her legs. I hoist her up by her shoulders, feeling guilty.

"Will she be okay?" I mutter out in deep concern.

"Yes, she will just need a rest I'm sure" I know Peeta's words are a lie and nothing but a mirage in the eyes of reality. Marvel is the one who knows these types of things. Regardless I buy the words of the baker and his reassuring voice comforts me. A part of me worries, not for Glimmer's state but instead for her heart. I can see how she could be lured into such gentle words and considerate eyes. I jostle the idea out of my head. _No, she loves me._

!

"You got to be joking" Marvel's voice greets us as he looks at the frail figure we carry. "What happened this time?" I know what Marvel means, it seems like this career camp has had too many injuries and sadly a lot of the time it is caused by another one of us. I am in no mood to enlighten him with a response so I just glare at him.

"Can you check her out for me?" I demand more so than ask. Marvel nods his head and obliges. He crouches down over the girl and puts his ear up to her face to hear signs of breathing.

"Well she's breathing. She looks really banged up though… what happened?" I shoot him another scowling glare and he looks over to Peeta for any clues of what may have happened. Peeta shakes his head. I guess Marvel's curiosity will just have to subside in time it seems. I'm glad for Peeta's silence in the situation and I thank him in my mind. Marvel's fingers rest on Glimmer's wrist. "Her pulse rate, is that of an average one. She will be fine, unless something extremely traumatic happens to her in her sleep but that is extremely unlikely" His words comfort my guilt and I allow myself to relax my tensing muscles.

"What the hell happened?" Clove shouts, just coming to the scene now. _Great more paparazzi. _No one says a word. She raises her voice. "What happened?!" I sigh. _I may as well tell them. They won't stop asking until I do… _

"I we-" My voice is cut off by Peeta's.

"She fell from the cornucopia. Cato tried to catch her but was too late by the time he arrived. He instantly picked her up and I just followed lead" Peeta interrupts. _Why did he do that? _The other two's facial expressions change completely, soaking up the lie. _How does he do that? How does he make everyone believe him so easily and confidently? _

"Lucky you were there then Cato" Clove's voice compliments. I nod, basking in the glory before looking over to the boy's lips where lies slip out unquestioned without solecism. The boy's face gives nothing to his actual knowledge and his face remains genuine. After a while everyone disembarks except for Clove and I. "We should probably move her into the tent." She says motioning to Glimmer and hers residential home.

"No, not there. I want her to be with me… I want to look after her" I whisper. Clove looks into my eyes for a moment before smiling.

"Sure" She grabs her legs and signals me to help her carry her. "Come on" She says playfully.

After we carry the girl into my tent I sit down next to Glimmer and grab her hand, thinking Clove would just let herself out. After a minute or two I cannot feel her presence and presume she has left.

"Cato? How's your relationship at the moment?" The words startle me. I'm almost annoyed at her asking such a question when I remember pre-games. It's strange to think I forgot completely about Clove once I met Glimmer. My brain just discarded our friendship. No, that's a lie. I often think about her, mainly when I'm alone. Never when I'm with Glimmer.

I sigh. _She probably knows anyways. Her and Glimmer seem to be chummy._ "It's been a bit on edge lately" I pause for a moment, trying to prevent myself from saying the words. Trying not to look like a weak love crazed teen. No luck. "But I love her. I just love her so much. More than… the games. I would give the games up for her" My eyes look up to Clove whose usual expressionless face is non-existent and all I see is confusion.

"But Cato, you have been training your whole life for this one event! Along comes a pretty girl and you want to give your life for her?" I don't lose my temper at her rough words. Clove is the only person who can say anything to me and not anger me. After all our years of training, I'm used to it by now. I know that I am probably killing my chances of sponsors at the moment but I can't stop now.

"She's more than a pretty face. She's an amazing person" If I didn't know Glimmer was knocked out, I would have sworn she just smiled at me.

"Okay… but you could have gone far. I've seen you train. You are more than just impressive. You are magnificent. But… I guess if that's what you think I can't change your mind"

"Trust me. I know… but it's what I'd want."

"You and your darn arrogance. It's good to see some things never change. Oh and I'm glad you're awoken from your coma" She benevolently smiles at me before leaving the tent. It's a nice change from her malevolent scowls. I suddenly feel as if the air is crushing me. As if there is no oxygen left. I crawl out of the tent leaving my love lying on her lone. I get a grasp on Clove's final words. _Awoken from your coma…? _Suddenly things match up. My feeble joint and weak muscles, why I had felt it had been such a long sleep… My eyes widen in fear. It matches up with my dream. All too well… I push the thought out of my head.

I barely notice the depleting sunlight in my effort to get some fresh air. The sun is setting over the behind the trees; the light has become integrated with the darkness of the wood. I don't understand why – or how – but I feel the sunset calling me, beckoning for my physical body. My fight subsides and I find myself following its departing rays. My feet shift, one after another and my body succumbs to the rhythmic beat of the steps. My body has become numb. I cannot feel anywhere from my toes to my fingertips. My breathing lessens and has too become steady.

I'm not sure how long I have been walking for but I do know now that the sun I was once chasing is now absent, and the sky is void of its warmth. In front of me trees grow above me, intimidatingly. I don't know why but there is something familiar about this place. My eyes examine my surroundings. To the right of me more trees rest, just as tall and similar as the ones ahead of me. To the left, pink and blue lilacs rest against a babbling brook. Its sweet sounds comfort me. Suddenly it hits me. I remember where I had seen this place before. It was when we were hunting and I had seen… _Katniss…_

My feet carry me alongside the stream. _Why am I looking for her?_ My inability to answer the question aggravates me. Mockingjay cries have now long retreated but the occasional owl's communicative call breaks over the gentle murmur of the beck. Every step I make seems to sound like thunder in the dead of night. If I was anyone else, I would be afraid of predators. But of course, me being a career limits my attacker. I tighten my fist, wishing I had brought my sword just in case. Movement stirs up ahead and I try to creep up on it. _Maybe it's a tribute… maybe it's Katniss? _The hammering of my heart is so loud that I'm worried it will chase off the prey.

I tiptoe towards the tree where the noise was sounded from, adrenaline coursing through my veins. My sneaking is far too loud and each step seems to get louder. Every footstep I make I involuntarily flinch, expecting some kind of attack to lunge at me. Of course that's not exactly what I get. I reach the tree and press myself up against it, until I am completely flat. My breath is now jagged and unnatural. It's almost hyperventilating. Almost. I wait a moment before poking my head out, only to be greeted with darkness. _Dam… _I risk a few steps into the open, past the tree I had originally took cover behind.

"I wouldn't move if I was you" I turn to the abrupt sound and spot the braided-haired girl known as _Katniss._ In her hands is a bow, fully strung and loaded, aimed right at me. _Crap. This isn't good…_

(OOC: Thanks everyone for reading! Review pretty please with nightlock on top! I love knowing what you guys think!)


	12. Enemy's Territory

(OOC: Katniss POV. Thanks everyone for your support and analysis! I can see that a few of you were a little annoyed of some details of the last chapter. I'm sorry! I can verify why I wrote what I did though =)

Dragonmaster1296- Yes that is true that he could have taken him down but Peeta is not that type of character. He wouldn't fight back with Glimmer, his friend watching. Where as Cato doesn't give a damn when he is in a temper fit

crimson11116- Yes, my friend you are correct but at the moment it would seem the capitol is happy with the amount of mental drama that is going on with all the relationships. But people will die don't worry! I'm just trying to let you have a good idea on the characters first and as a result lead to more emotional deaths

**Chapter 12 – Enemy's Territory**

I concentrate on the boy standing ten metres in front of me. My arrow is aimed at his head, and one slip of the finger could end his life, right here and now.

"Where are the others?" I ask, turning my head hesitantly for a moment making sure my arrow doesn't budge.

"They aren't here" His words seem genuine but I cannot go off words. This is the games. Everything should be certain.

"Don't mess with me. Tell me the truth or I will shoot" A smug grin emerges on his face. I shoot an arrow just over his shoulder as a warning. The boy flinches but doesn't move.

"You missed" The arrogance in his voice is entirely repulsive.

"Tell me now!" I shout, scared that I will be ambushed at any moment.

"I'm alone. The others are at camp"

"Why should I believe that?" I question.

"Well I saved you once already, why would I come back to finish you off if I let you go in the first place?" I quieten. His words make sense… but why had he let me go the first night?

"Why did you let me go then?" I ask curiously, still keeping aim. His supercilious smile fades.

"I don't know" He roars aggressively and my hand is prepared to let go. "I guess it was because of what happened before" _What? Why would that make a difference?_

"How? You basically raped me!" I scream.

"I thought you were Glimmer, okay?!" He lessens his voice. "It was really… good though" I meet the boy with a risen eyebrow. "You felt… so much better than Glimmer…" _What the hell? Does he not know where he is now? Guys, the only people who can be in a life or death situation and still find time to think about sex… _I don't really understand though. That was the first time I had intercourse and most likely the last. I can relate a little though because it was… extraordinary. It had felt so amazing. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before.

"That's why you let me go?" I ask in disbelief. "Really?" The boy nods. "I guess I will have to repay the favour then." I lower the loaded bow.

"Any chance of it happening again?" He asks mischievously, with a complacent expression. I roll my eyes at him.

"Oh grow up" I light heartedly laugh.

"Damn. That's disappointing. After all the distance I have travelled to get here and you're just going to flick me off like that?"

"Yes, why, can't you handle rejection?"

"Look at me" He says motioning his hands down his chiselled body. "Does this look like the body that has encountered rejection?" I roll me eyes again, taken by his sheer imperiousness.

"Well sorry to disillusion you then. You should probably go before I decide to impale you with my arrows" I jokingly say.

"Well aren't I lucky you can't aim then?" He derides.

"Just get out of here!" I dismiss him, grinning from ear to ear.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" He asks. _Why would he want to see me again anyways?_

"No! I think you should keep away from me" I murmur.

"Do you just want to throw out everything we had?"

"Get out of here you rapist!" I laugh.

"Whatever. I'll be back" He beams, before turning and walking off. _He's got quite the flippant attitude…_

After his blond hair disappears from view I am left to wonder about what had just taken place. A few days ago I was afraid of this savage beast. Now, my biggest problem with him is his conceitedness… He has quite the ego…

"What just happened?" A voice calls from the trees. Such a soft voice, as pure as the calls of the Mockingjays.

"I really don't know Rue" Rue is my ally; she had tended to me when I was knocked out due to the venom of the tracker jackers.

"You like him?" I can hear her lips curving upwards in the dark. I laugh at such a thought.

"No. If he hadn't saved me the other day there would have been an arrow put right through his heart just then"

"He likes you"

"That was the first time we talked. He doesn't like me, he likes my body. Now come down from there little miss eavesdropper, let's go find a better tree"

* * *

Rue squeezes into the sleeping bag with me. Her skin shivering in the coolness of the night. Her frizzy hair blending into the pitch black sky.

"You know, you could win" I state as I chew on a leg of groosling.

"Me? I couldn't take out one of the careers with force, they would easily overpower me. You on the other hand, you could take them all out with your accuracy"

"No, you could. You have exactly what the careers lack. Stealth, smarts, the ability to fly from each tree…" Rue's laugh breaks the silence of nature. It sounds so sweet and pure.

"How is that going to help me though?"

"Well this is the hunger games… the careers wouldn't last a day without food" A smile covers my face and I can see the reflected emotion displaying on Rue's face. "There's just the problem of how to rid them of it" My smile quickly diminishes.

"Well the careers keep their supplies in a big pyramid over by the lake. Maybe we could burn it?" Her keen eye impresses me.

"Then burn it we shall…. But for now I think we should get some energy. Good night Rue" I say as I let my eyes droop.

"Goodnight Katniss"

* * *

My eyes open groggily. I look over to the left of me where I expect to see a dark skinned girl but am only greeted by more trees and the ground hanging beneath me. _Where is she?_ Instantly I feel frightened, and horrid possibilities rush through my mind. I unbuckle my belt, the only device that prevented my sleeping bag from falling out of the tree. I quickly wrap up the bag and shove it into Rue's bag, which she had managed to weave out of river weeds. She is extremely gifted. I tried to weave a bag once when I went hunting with my father but I didn't have the patience for it… or the skill.

"Rue?" My panicky voice fills the air. _Where is she?! _I wait for a moment before tiring of the nothingness I receive. "Rue?!" I shout, this time much more frantic and scared. _What if she is dead right now? _I gulp, not being able to digest something as poor as that. "Ru-" I start but the feel of hands on my back interrupt me. I am instantly fear stricken. Could this be the assailant who killed Rue? I turn preparing myself for combat.

"I'm right here Katniss. Calm down" Her tiny voice soothes me until my fear has subsided. "I got us some berries for breakfast" She says, removing purple berries from her pocket and holding them outstretched towards me. I put out my hands and let her dump them onto my palms. The skin feels oily and unnatural.

"Are you sure these are safe to eat?" I ask, further examining the strange berries. I had never once come across such a berry in my years of hunting.

"Oh yes, we have them up where we live, I would sneak a couple when we would go home from harvesting. They are really good!" She grabs a berry before dropping it in her mouth playfully. Eager to try the new taste I put one to my lips and chew. The purple-blue juice explodes on my tongue leaving nothing but a sweet tangy sensation.

"Mmm, these are good! What are they called?"

"Lucrossa De'nulla"

"Spanish?" I ask intrigued by the beauty of the words.

"No, just named after the discoverer, Lucrossa De'Nulla" I open my lips to respond but the words turn into dust on my tongue. To the left of me footsteps haunt the air leaving Rue's face a much more fearful variant of its usual happy self. I grab my bow which I had tucked behind a log. My aim is set and I am ready to take on the predator.

"Hey there, you miss me?" The familiar cocky voice rings through my ears as the blonde haired boy steps forwards, revealing his glistening eyes. I lower my bow.

"I thought I told you to stay away!" I scold; annoyed that he would disobey my orders.

"How could I keep myself away from you when your pleading eyes beg for my return?" I roll my eyes in the boy's arrogance.

"These eyes have better things to plead for, trust me" I retort.

"You just tell yourself that but you don't fool me" He pauses before his eyes rest upon the dark skinned girl to the side of me. "Who's that?"

"I'm Rue" She states before continuing hesitantly. "I'm from district eleven. Katniss and I are allies" She looks up to me with questioning eyes and I nod to confirm the girl's statement.

"Ah, you've got an interesting team there Kat…"

"It's Katniss. And Rue is a great team mate. I would take her any day over any career" Cato's eyebrow lifts.

"Even loverboy?" He asks with a huge smirk on his face. It makes me just want to punch him right there and then, he knows his question will be the downfall of me. So instead I provide what words fail me; I glare at him.

"My personal life is none of your business. Now, seriously why did you come?" I ask still irritated at him.

"I came to talk. That's all" This time Rue responds.

"Why do you need to talk to Katniss? Don't you have all of your little friends to talk to? Especially your girlfriend" Rue's words are strong and angered. It is such a strange sight to see the passive twelve year old this way. I look over at Cato this time with the cocky smile on my face.

"I think they have all had enough of me for a while…" He drifts off, seemingly lost in thought. "And besides I think I just want to talk to Kat at the moment" Rue raises an eyebrow at him before looking up to me.

"If Rue leaves I leave" I bite at him.

"Fine" He says, anger falling in to his words due to his defeat. "I've been thinking. What if we join forces?" My mouth falls agape. One word enters my mind; Trickery.

"Do you think I am stupid? Do you think I would really fall for such a thing?"

"What the hell are you going on about? Fall for what?" The boy shouts back.

"You! Asking to ally!" I vociferate.

"What? I'm not playing a game, I'm serious!" He roars.

"Oh yeah right! Careers like you don't just go around asking to create alliances with poor girls from district twelve!" I cry, anger disillusioning my mind. I am so lost in my temper that I am surprised to hear Rue's voice shout out.

"Both of you! Stop!" I grasp on to my anger, shamed of myself for out bursting like that. Even so, I still make sure I glare my opponent down. "Cato. Why do you want to ally?" Her calm voice breaks the silence.

"Well" He says regaining a serene composure. "I just thought it would benefit both of us" My eyes question his words. "I could have someone to fall back with if things get too heated in camp and I can keep you safe from the hunts we undergo. As I have proven already" I let out an exasperated sigh because his claim is true and for some reason that just annoys me.

"Rue as well. Promise her safety from your hunts"

"Deal" Cato says, outstretching his hand towards me. My eyes glance at Rue who nods slightly. I grasp his hand tightly and shake. His enormous hand covers mine completely. Cato's grin grows, until it comes to a rest at ear to ear. "Now… how about a deal-locking hand job?"

"Tempting, but I think I will pass" I laugh.

"Aw come on, your leaving me with nothing to work with!" The boy begs half-jokingly.

"Well good. Let's hope it stays that way" I poke my tongue out at him.

"Fine. All in time then…"

"Don't hold your breath… or do, it would be less annoying for all of us" I taunt cheekily.

"I won't stop trying until you do…"

"You're such a pervert"

"Maybe but I'm proud" He smiles before looking to the sky. "I got to go. We are going to go hunting soon"

"About time" I laugh. "See you later… if you are still alive"

"Please of course I will be. My hormones won't let me until I get my hand job…" He says before turning around and heading into the green forested realm. I look back down to a girl who has a deeply disgusted facial expression.

"Ew." Is the one word which she manages. I cannot help but fall to the ground laughing. I had forgotten completely about her presence.

* * *

My eyes flicker open, awaken by the booming of a cannon. Instantly I look across from me, fearing the worst. Rue's brown eyes stare back at me. Relief fills my paranoia. _So looks like the careers are hunting. Perfect._

"Okay Rue, we got a big day ahead of us, get up!" I say climbing down the tree and leaving her to pack up the sleeping bag.

"Why, what's happening today?" Her tired voice asks.

"We are going to go look at the camp, see if we can destroy the food"

"But, I thought we were allied with Cato? Why are we destroying his food?"

"We are, but we have to worry about ourselves first and besides if Cato wants food he can come find us…" The thought of the boy returning fills me with interest. His whole aura is completely different to Rue and me… and even anyone I have ever met. This difference intrigues me. Rue rolls the sleeping bag up, throws me the belt and puts the source of warmth into her weaved bag. "Come on!" I say, eager to leave.

"I'm only small! Hold on!" This makes me laugh. Rue climbs down the tree and joins my striding self.

The journey is silent and void of laughter. Rue and I may be friends but we aren't going to let ourselves fall victim to a predator because of an absence of vigilance. Especially when the careers are hunting…

I do not have time to admire my surroundings: the green shrubbery and the scarlet flowers which were most likely created in a lab just to meet the desires of the capitol citizens. The overhanging fronds of the trees sway delicately in the wind. After time, the trees slowly dissipate and allow for other scenery. Ahead, grass fields fill one's vision. Centred in the middle amongst the grass stands the cornucopia, gold and standing tall. Rue and I clamber along the edge of the thick foliage with caution.

After ten minutes of scrambling along, we find the lake. From our vantage point, I can spot a brown haired boy sitting down, obviously keeping guard of the supplies. _That's all they have to protect their camp? One boy? _Rue's hand tugs at my shirt.

"He's district three" She whispers. _Why would district three be teamed with the careers? They are technology… not any strength related occupation…_ Realisation hits me like thunder straight after a lightning strike.

"It's booby-trapped" I whisper. _How though? Could there be a wire that when touched sends off a poisonous dart? Could the ground open up and eat me whole, impaling my body on the spikes below?_ Suddenly something moves in the corner of my eye. An auburn blur. My eyes focus on the girl and recognition hits me; Foxface. She is going for the supplies. _Great maybe now I will be able to see what trap it is. _The girl throws herself into the air before landing gracefully. She hops in awkward movements towards the pyramid. She jumps one more time before falling towards the ground, arms flailing around in the air wildly before her. A shriek leaves her lips and it looks as if she fears it may be her last. She hits the ground and her muscles instantly tense in preparation for whatever is to come next. Yet nothing does. She gets up and dusts her clothes of the dirt which has found its way onto her and she grabs two apples and a small bag of crackers before returning with the same peculiar dance.

_What booby trap could be that complex that it requires such carefulness and precise movement? And when she had fallen why had she shrieked? It was almost as if she thought the ground would explode…_ Instinctively I remember when Rue and I were back at the cornucopia. Something had been different. _The ground beneath the pedestals had been dug up…_

"Oh my gosh. Rue, I know what is wrong with the supplies"

"It's mined" Rue finishes. _Wow talk about a moment ruined... upstaged by a twelve year old that's just great._

"Yes, it is…" I whisper back, trying to regain my fallen ego. My eyes return the flowing auburn hair. It is making its way to the district three boy, who is guarding. _Is she going to try and take him out?_ I can't be sure but what I am certain about is that this conference will end in blood. I silently will the death of one of them. It's not that I'm sadistic or anything it's just that it would be much easier on us if one of them was knocked out of the game. That's why I'm so shocked when Foxface throws the boy an apple. "Wow, Rue they are-"

"Allies, yes I know" _Seriously? Couldn't she let me have the words just once?!_

"Looks like we have some interesting information for Cato" I wonder how enraged he will be at the boy, will he instantly kill him out of pure blood thirst? I can't help but feel guilty if that be his fate. Least it's indirect… _But the intention is all the same…_ The realistic words linger in my mind.

"Can we leave a note for him?" Rue suggests. The twelve year old is much more intelligent than her years indicate. "We can put it on bark and use the juice from a few left over berries to mark our words" I simply nod allowing the girl to rip a piece of bark and remove the remaining berries from her pocket. "The juice stains pretty well, so it should make a good writing ink" I look down at my hands, which are the evidence of her statement. My fingers are covered in blue and even brighter around a scab I had received when cutting myself on a tree whilst climbing. If I hadn't lived my whole hands I see Rue's produced work.

**D3 is teamed with D5**

**-Kat and Rue**

I glower at Rue. "Kat?" _Great. That's just what I need, another encouragement for Cato's nicknaming… _

"Hey don't get up me! It wouldn't fit your full name!" I know she speaks the truth but I can't help but feel a little pestered.

"Well I can't wait to see what name he comes up with for you!" I say, keeping the serious tone throughout the sentence but end up laughing anyways. Rue laughs as well and her laughter fills me with joy that instantly wipes my annoyance out. After the laughter recedes I have to ask the question. "Rue… how are we going to get the note to Cato?" I suddenly remember the bow on the ground beside me. _I can take them both out and create a clear pathway… _I bend down and swiftly grasp the smooth metallic material in my hands. My free hand reaches back into my quiver and removes a lone arrow, loading it speedily. The bow is brought up towards my face and I take aim… on nothing. The girl and boy are gone. _Where are they? _I feel trapped, as if I'm about to be ambushed any moment now. The girl picks up the wood and smiles at me, seemingly absent of the fear I feel.

"Watch and learn" She smirks before leaving the sanctuary of the thick foliage. I am about to shout for Rue to come back, but I realise that may not be my finest move. So instead I position my bow and just look out for her. The girl disappears into a tent. _Please for the love of God, let nobody be in that tent…_

Shortly after Rue emerges, still hanging on to the piece of wood. _What is she doing?_ The girl crosses over to another tent nearby. Before re-emerging once again with it still in her hand. I mouth at her to hurry and she shrugs before going into a third tent. This time coming out holding nothing but the skin on her palms. _Thank God._

The girl runs gracefully over and joins me in the safety offered by the trees and bushes. "If you are going to do something that drastic again would you at least warn me?" I scold, even though I am happy of her accomplishment. "And what were you doing checking out all of their tents?"

"Okay, but I knew I didn't have to you are always prepared" She compliments. I know she is she trying to wriggle out of my lecture… but it works. "I was trying to find the right one, we don't want the message ending up in one of the others tents and revealing our alliance"

"Okay, but promise me you will next time?" I wait for the approving nod before continuing. "Now, come on, let's get out of here before all the careers return from their hunt"

(OOC: Thanks everyone for reading! Please review! I need the support!)


	13. Revealing Passion

(OOC: Peeta's POV!  
Mustachegirl- Okay... but at the moment it will be a one shot. If it gets enough reviews and interest in it I will make it a proper fanfic. I'll try to get it up by nest week and thanks for your amazing words of motivation! You rock!)

Chapter 13 – Revealing Passion

We had finally gone hunting again. We had managed to kill a boy no older than fifteen. I don't think I will ever forget those stone green eyes; the fear held in them was just too obvious. Cato had gotten the 'honour' of the kill. The poor kid, his death was a slow and horrific one. He had pinned the boy up against a tree and his pleas filled the air. It is such a depressing thing to see someone beg for their life. It changes people. Unless of course you are a career. They thrive for the blood of others, enjoyment lathered across their faces. Clove tells me it's an act, or at least hers was, she says she is doing it for the sponsors. I'm guessing that is the reason why Cato killed him so horribly. I push the image of the fading boy out of my head. I do not have the strength that I need to face his death again. We have just arrived back at camp, our safety where we do not have to fear anything… or supposedly. I'm afraid though. I'm scared of my fate, of Cato and of Katniss's fate. I'm afraid that the Capitol will see my confession as nothing but an act to fool them into delivering me more gifts in the arena, which has so far, came to a total of zero. Maybe I have already blown it then.

"Hey Peeta, you want to do a bit of training?" Clove's voice, void of any feelings, asks.

"Sure" I go partly for the experience that I desperately need but mostly because I just need to get away. Especially from Cato. His eyes were just too menacing, too blood thirsty, too destructive when he had carried on with his kill.

I get up and stand next to the short girl.

"Peeta!" I turn around in the vicinity of the call to see Glimmer. Her face is doped with a huge lovey-dovey smile. It is an interesting change from her normal smiles. "Where are you going?"

"We're going to do some training" Clove states. "Peeta has been learning to throw knives" Glimmer flashes me an impressed smile.

"Nice… do you guys mind if I tag along?" Clove glances at me for a moment for turning back to face Glimmer.

"You're more than welcome too" She says rather unconvincingly. Glimmer doesn't seem to pick up on it though.

"Awesome, thanks" Glimmer says before we start on our voyage towards the brook to where my training field lies. Clove has been teaching me for the past few days now and I have to say I've been getting… decent… I can actually hit the tree now. Clove seems to be really impressed with me.

The afternoon has just begun when we reach our destination. It's strange that even though such a terrible death has happened the brook is still as glamorous as ever. Its shallow depths are dotted with green lily-pads which carry beautiful pink flowers. The lilacs haven't gone unnoticed either, their pulchritude enhances the scene.

"Wow, this is so beautiful…" Glimmer says lost in scenery that seems to have left a visceral effect on the girl.

"Okay, now come on you two lover birds, Peeta has training to do" I'm not quite sure what she is talking about until I look down and see Glimmer clasping my hand in hers. _How did I not notice that?! Wow, I must be really out of it… _Glimmer slowly moves her hand out of mine but the smooth feel still lingers and I am in no rush for it to leave any time soon…

Clove passes me three daggers and her hand touches mine for a short moment. They are not like Glimmer's. They are hard and calloused due to her days of training.

"Hit the tree" She demands. I put two of the three knives into my left hand and with the third I prepare my throw with. I inhale softly before exhaling just as calmly. My arm brings the knife back into the position Clove has told me to so many times to have. I inhale again and wait for the exhale before throwing the knife. It spins twice before finding its way into the tree where it stands hilt deep. "Nice. Now I want you to throw the other two knives at the one you just threw" I grab a knife in my right hand and prepare myself to throw. As I let go the knife slips a little too far. I know from the moment I let go that it will not find its target. It hits the tree though, just. It is a metre above my previous throw. I let out a sigh and transfer the final knife into my other hand. _Come on Peeta… you can do this. _I hurl the knife into the air towards its destination. **CA-SHINK**. I blink my eyes in disbelief. The knife had ricocheted off the target knife's hilt. Clove has now made her way in front of me. "Congratulations! I think you are ready for the next range" She compliments.

"Wow Peeta you are amazing!" Glimmer voices. I turn to her, my face slightly blushed.

"Thanks" Is the only thing I can muster; I am still lost in the wonder of my shot.

"Okay, so you've past close range shots. Now let's see how you go with mid-range. Instead of aiming for that tree I want you to aim for…" She throws a knife speedily; it gracefully spins in the air, past the first tree and enters another one, an extra ten metres further. "That one. Now go retrieve your last throws" I follow her orders and collect the three knives, with great difficult. It takes all my strength to remove them.

I jog back to Clove and prepare to take a throw at this new target. Inhalation is followed by exhalation and I propel the lethal projectile through the air. For a moment I think the shot is going to hit her throw but it doesn't even go close. In fact it misses the tree completely by half a metre.

"It's okay, try again" Clove's encouraging words motivate me to fling my next knife. The shot also misses by half a metre, this time on the other side of the tree. I face palm myself in anger. "Don't sweat it Peeta. It's a different range, it's harder and will take a little longer to get used to, but your angle is good"

We spend the next couple of hours training before I'm completely exhausted of running to collect the projectiles and sprinting back. In that time of training, I had hit exactly seven shots on. I was getting closer and was slowly narrowing the gaps of misses. The whole training session I have felt, Glimmer's eyes trained on me, fixating themselves on every move I take. It is a little unnerving.

"Thanks Clove for the training. I really appreciate it" I say, smiling genuinely at her.

"You're welcome I'm just happy to see your progress" She says returning the grin. The smile enhances all of her facial features in an angelic yet dark way. Her unusual expression only pleases me more. She pats me on the back before taking a few steps back. "Are you ready to head back?"

"I think I want to stay for a little longer…" I say, turning to Glimmer who looks entertained just sitting there watching me.

"Well okay… I'll see you both back at camp" Clove says before turning to walk away.

"Wait, Clove" Glimmer calls, waiting for the jet black haired girl's eyes to return. "Can you do me a favour, pretty please?" Clove answers with silence. "Could you stay… just for a bit longer?"

"Why?" She asks, surprise hitting her hard.

"Well it's just that, Cato will get extremely angered if he knows Peeta and I are alone, at least if you were here he couldn't get frustrated…"

"So let me get this straight…" Clove's eyebrows raise themselves into high arches. "You want me to be your third wheel?"

"Please Clove, you are my friend…" Glimmer whines, until basically the girl is forced to accept.

"Fine! But keep it PG, I don't want to see any nudity!" Clove teases.

"Deal, thanks Clove" I finish for Glimmer. _Clove is a good friend…_

Glimmer grabs me by the hand and brings me down to the bank of the creek amongst the pink and blue lilacs. The blonde sits down before me, waiting for me to follow her lead. _This was the same spot that Clove and I would sit after training…_ My eyes follow the raven hair who looks preoccupied with knife throwing.

"What are you thinking of?" Her voice hits my ears and I have realised I haven't been paying attention to what she has been saying.

"Sorry?"

"I said, what are you thinking of?" She repeats sweetly.

"Just of you and how beautiful you look" I lie because somehow it doesn't seem right to tell Glimmer that when we are alone the only thing I can think about is the freckled girl. The statement seems to have the desired effect on the girl because she leans in and kisses me softly on the cheek. It makes me forget everything about Clove. Now I actually start to focus on this magnificent creature in front of me.

"You're so sweet… and for the record I think you are pretty hot" She says adding a playful wink to the end of the sentence.

"I love you" I say the words so flawlessly that even I believe it for a moment, but maybe I do? After all hadn't I kissed her on impulse, all because I wanted too? Isn't that love? She applies her hand to my face and slowly runs her warm fingers down my cheek. Twilight is falling and the girl before me is turning into nothing but a silhouette in time. Desperate to recapture this lost time I put my hand on hers and press the warmth against my cheek more.

"I love you too Peeta" She says softly before pecking me on the lips. Her lips, much like her hands are soft and welcoming.

"We should be going now guys, before it gets too dark and we can't find our way back" Clove says impatiently. Glimmer's silhouette nods and stands up, leaving me seated amidst the flowers. They are no longer the bright and cheerful blossoms I have known to love but now they look like fading hope in this lighting. Glimmer holds out her hand to me, barely visible in this fading sunlight, offering help up. Determined to not be guided by the darkness, I allow rapture to lead me. And lead me it does, right into Glimmer's soft hand. As I stand, allowing my feet to manage my complete weight by their selves I turn to the dark outlined girl who has now turned away from me and I spin her inwards until she faces me. Controlled by desire and resolute on the yearning of longing I pull the girl towards me, wrapping my hands around the back of her waist, just above her hip bone, catching the girl in a tight embrace. My lips go to hers, slowly but compulsively, rubbing against her lips, basking in the warmth they have to offer. The smell of pollen loiters in the air, filling my nose with its sweet fragranced scent. I back my head a little just to take a moment to admire the blue of her eyes, so full of life and want. Want for me. I can sense my expression appearing with the same longing. I can no longer bear the separation between us and I apply my lips back to hers, closing my eyes, truly lost in the moment. The feel of it all sends goosebumps down my back; the tingling sensation has overtaken my body, ruling it with hunger. My lips part slightly, allowing my tongue to push forcefully through her guard, penetrating her mouth where it finds sweet salvation against her tongue. Glimmer's hand rise to situate themselves onto my face; pressing my cheeks; radiating warmth and cycling life directly into my blood flow. Her tongue tastes of fruit and desire. It is such an ambrosial combination, of lust and grace; the kind that can only be found in one's inner mind. She presses harder into my cheeks and tilts her head slightly guiding her tongue to mine more directly. My tongue recedes for a moment before coming back, touching the very tip of hers lightly. Her hands squeeze more as her tongue races to find mine completely, lunging itself at mine. When it finds it, she wraps it around mine encasing it in hers. The feeling is pleasant and safe. Glimmer slowly retreats, giving a moment for her tongue to slide down mine before leaving my mouth. Now my tongue feels strange, alone and unnatural. It misses its partner already. My eyes slowly open, just in time to see Glimmer's do the same. A huge grin forms across my face, Glimmer is likewise.

"We should probably go" I say, slowly loosening my grasp of her before I have let go completely.

"You're right we should" Glimmer says, pecking my lip before removing her hands and turning towards the undemonstrative girl before us, whose eyes train on me, solemnly. I give her a questioning stare before she shakes her head.

"About time you lovers are done" She says before turning. Glimmer grabs my hand as we start our walk back to camp. Most of the time it is silent, it allows me to think. Have you ever thought that you were glad no one could read your mind? Well I certainly was glad no one could now. _Do I actually like Glimmer? _Was one of the repeating questions that I couldn't find an answer to, along with: _Don't I love Katniss, instead? _At the moment I can't tell… _is it possible to be drawn to two girls at the one time? _Frustrated by the situation I am in, and angered only more by the predicament, I'm at a loss of words. My love for Katniss in not in jeopardy at least, well not from the Capitol's point of view. As far as they know my love for Glimmer is an act. I hope it continues that way… or at least until I can get my mind made up, but what does it matter anyways? I am going to die no matter what happens.

Shortly after we arrive the others disperse for dinner, I told them I wasn't hungry in the slightest; Clove didn't approve but let me off anyways. Truth is I'm still uncomfortable at the thought of being around Cato… and besides my eyelids feel heavy. I past the campfire to where the other four sit and scan their faces quickly, firstly there is Marvel, he sits talking to Cato, laughing. Then there is Glimmer, her beauty only augmented in the flickering flames which lap fiercely at the air, hungry for growth. My heart misses a beat when I train my gaze onto her alluring blue eyes. Eventually my eyes switch to their next candidate. Clove. The raven haired girl who keeps her emotion hidden behind her mask. It's not her vacant black eyes that grab my attention, instead it's her freckles that do. They are the one thing that gives Clove individuality. They stand out from her fair skin, preserving a younger look. And then there is Cato. The blood-thirsty career, the boy with no mercy. As I stare at the back of his head as he converses to Marvel, he turns abruptly. His eyes stare into mine. They are not heartless though, they are filled with life. The boy smiles at me. I turn away, more so in shock than embarrassment at being caught staring. _Why on earth would he smile… at me?_ Lost in amazement I barely notice that my feet have carried myself to my tent. I am about to lower myself to the ground in order to crawl in when I hear a voice.

"Peeta!" A hushed tone whispers. I reluctantly turn to the vicinity, slightly freaked out by the sudden noise. Crouched by the side of my tent, is the mysterious auburn girl, Finch.

"Finch!" I whisper loudly, turning around hoping no one happens to come along. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you about tomorrow" I shoot her a questioning look. "Are you all going hunting?"

"Yes, supposedly, why?"

"Don't go. I want you to meet me over by the tree where we met last time, okay?" _Don't go? Why? _I still don't understand this girl. She appears out of nowhere the whole time with unclear motives. _What am I supposed to make of her? _

"Finch, I can't just stay back for no reason at all, what would I say to the careers" I whisper in a slightly enraged voice.

"Well tell them you sprained your ankle… or something! Just come to the tree after they leave for hunting, please?" Her sweet pleading has made me fall to my knees in front of her (figuratively of course).

"Fine, I'll be there" I tell her, slightly annoyed at myself for caving. _I'm such a sucker for a begging girl… _A smile covers her face.

"Thank you" She whispers back at me, her words reflecting the joy she shows on her face. "I got to go before I get caught here, so I guess I'll see you tomorrow" She gets up from her crouch and sprints a couple of steps before turning back. "Don't forget!" She risks shouting. I nod my head until she seems pleased by the result obtained. She waves and mouths one word which I can only believe to be 'bye' before taking pace into the green depths of the forest to the left. I stand there for a moment, blinking my eyes wondering if it had actually occurred, she had left just as she came, like a ghost, unnoticed and quiet.

I slip into my tent, and rest in my sleeping bag, hiding in the warmth that it offers. Tonight is going to be cold…

I hit something uncomfortable in my struggle to get comfortable. Confused I reach down at the obscure object, revealing wood. _What the hell? _I look at the piece of wood before throwing it to the side of me where it falls not-so-quietly. Something stains the surface of the wood. Something blue…

**Peeta, I'm fine – Katniss**

_Katniss?! She was here?! _I am shocked but at the same time happy. If she can manage to message me it must mean she is completely fine. The thought of the girl being safe enlightens me. I read the note again, putting my fingers to the lettering, the words she had created with her own hands. As I read the words it feels my heart with ecstasy. I doze off into an uninhibited dream with the three words coursing through my subconscious. _She is alive… _

_She is well…._

_She is safe…_

(OOC: Please review! I need to know how many of you are actually interested in the continuation of the story! Finch's POV will be next)


	14. Changing Heart

(OOC: Finch's POV!)  
Dragonmaster1296 - Thanks so much! I love to read people's like you reviews! You have no idea how happy it makes me to see people enjoying my stories! I hope I don't disappoint you with future come chapters!

**Chapter 14- Changing Heart**

I lean against the tree, nervously. I'm lost in anticipation of what I am about to do today. _Today is the day when Ian and I change the mine layout… of course, first I have to organise Peeta. I cannot have the all alluring smile being blown sky high. No way._ The sun sits above, patiently moving, taking all the time it can manage. Footsteps echo from behind me and I prepare for my first encounter. _Peeta._ I haven't told Ian of me meeting him. He wouldn't have approved. We had touched lightly on the subject of Peeta being saved from the explosions but Ian wouldn't have any of it. He called him a 'liability' and figures the sooner we get rid of him the better. I don't agree with him of course though. _Maybe I'm just a complete sucker for that smile… _

"Hey Finch" His voice saying my name makes me feel weak and heavy hearted. "What is so important for today?"

"I need you to collect some materials for me" I lie. _Wow that was pretty lame sounding…_ Peeta stares at me strangely as if I'm completely mad.

"Okay…What did you need?" He asks a little sceptical.

"I need a plant, it's known as the 'blanchett grava' it is used for healing wounds and preventing infection, basically just ameliorating" I say flawlessly, showing him my mauled arm. He winces at the sight before looking up at me concerned. All scepticism wiped from his face. _Good._ I look at my arm in beauty of my creation. The wound is about a golf ball in size, red blood crusts over it and mangled skin hangs for dear life on the sides. It is not an attractive sight. But I had been aware of that when I made the decision to inflict it upon myself. I needed a reason desperately for Peeta not to go hunting and for him not to see Ian and me setting up the mines. Who knows what he may have done? I've seen him with that blonde… and besides with this excuse at least I am not lying. I do need the plant and it does prevent infection.

"Wow that's bad, what happened to it?" Peeta asks, expectantly. _Damn. Now I need to come up with a reason…_

"I cut it on a sharp rock" _What?! Are you serious… a rock?! No rock could have made something this bad…_ "I felt it, and then went to move my arm away but pushed it hard into a jagged edge of another rock" _Better… but definitely not good._ Truth is I had actually used my nails to create it. I was going to cut it with my dagger but I didn't want to risk blood poisoning. It was one painful experience.

"That's terrible; you must have hit it really hard into it…" His words do not display disbelief, thankfully. "What does it look like?" It takes me a moment to realise he is talking about the plant and not the wound.

"I drew a picture" I say handing him a thin piece of wood with a plant sketched on the front of it. "To get the plant you will have to travel up that mountain" I say pointing to the tall outcast behind the high field of grass to our right. _That should buy Ian and I some time._ "The important thing is to make sure it is the plant at the top of the mountain. There are duplicates of this plant scattered throughout the arena that look exactly the same but have the reverse affect and speed infections up. The anodyne we want grows in the highest of places" I lie. The truth is that this plant grows everywhere. But of course that wouldn't grant us enough time if he only had to grab the plant by my foot.

"Okay. I'll get straight to it. Bye" He says with a sense of need lingering in his voice.

"Thank you so much Peeta! You don't know how much this means to me!" I blithely tell him.

"I'm just glad to help, and besides I can't have my ally dying on me so easily" _My thoughts exactly. _I stand there for a moment, watching him leave the scene and disappear completely from my sight. I hope he will be okay by himself. He had brought a knife; I just hope he won't have to use it.

I now sit in silence, looking at the flowers that benignly stare back at me with such artistry. I know that time is nothing but the one factor that could end my life. I silently plead for Ian to hurry. I just want to get this over and done with. I look up and as if on cue, the brunette stands before me, smiling.

"Hey Finch. Sorry for taking so long, they went off hunting but Peeta was still there for some reason. So I waited for him to leave and made sure he wasn't coming back straight away"

"Whatever, I just really want to get this out of the way. Can we start right now?" I ask eagerly.

"Yeah, sure let's go"

I follow Ian's steps to the start of the booby-trapped area; where the massive pyramid of supplies stands before us.

"So Ian, how are we going to deactivate it? Will we need to go through some long enduring task to disable the electronics by re-routing the wires?" I ask.

"We could do something of that calibre… or we could just turn the switch off" He laughs, before taking a few steps towards a bush which lies conveniently close. He bends and brings up a switch in which the wire seems to be stuck in the earth. With one flick of the finger he calls the ground safe and tells me we can now walk on the surface. Paranoid, I grab a stone from my pocket, one of the few that I had the night Peeta met me in the forest. I shield my ears as the stone leaves my hand and makes its way towards its destination. It hits the mined area with a thud and nothing more. Satisfied by the result I walk closer to the mines and wait for Ian's instructions.

"Wait a second… why don't you just turn it off whenever you want to cross?"

"Well, there is a six hour time period for it to recharge, so there wouldn't be much of a point in having mines at all then if you were going to do that the whole time"

"Oh. Okay then, so how are we going to dig?"

"Well we don't have any shovels to dig with but considering the ground had already been dug up and replanted the soil should be fairly soft and easy enough to dig with our hands" He says as he crouches to the ground at a mined spot. I follow his lead and situate myself by the mine next to him.

After ten minutes of silent work we have dug up three mines each. The silence is broken by my words that enter the air.

"What's it like in district three?" I curiously ask; taking a moment to look at his dirt specked face.

"Um, well we spend ten hours in school everyday"

"Whoa, what?! What about the weekend?"

"Everyday" He repeats, as if it is normal for one to be held prisoner for so long. "We only do maths and science, as other subjects are seen as 'a waste of time' according to our District's education department… what about you? How's life in the power district?" I move on to my fourth mine, following Ian.

"Well, most of the kids have left school, including me-"

"Wait, what? You can leave school there?" He asks, completely shocked.

"Yeah, we basically have to, so we can survive…" I say, dismally.

"We have a law in our district that prevents us from leaving school before we graduate, not that I really want to. I want to be a nuclear engineer" I take a moment to look up at Ian, this boy who had such a bright looking future, but is now forced to dig for his survival.

"Well district three has always been the smart district" I say smiling.

"So what about you? What do you want to do?" His words do not deceive me. What he really means is '**what did you want to do**_**?**_'

"Well, I had left school to make my own way in life. I had started up my own apothecary business, making natural anodynes to assuage pain, granted it wasn't the most successful business; it got me by, which was much better than how I was before… Painful thoughts of my family struggles against my heart, but I deter it. I am not going to allow the anathema to win. "And besides, it was what I enjoyed" Ian looks up to face me.

"Were you all by yourself when you went in to business?" I know Ian is really asking whether or not my family is alive with this question. He has learnt not to ask directly about them by now. He has seen how I shatter emotionally upon the instant they are mentioned.

"Yes" I answer, with one word, fighting back the tears behind my eyes. I shall not succumb to it. _You do not control me._ Ian's warm hand touches mine.

"Wow. You are so brave. I don't think I would have had the courage to do that" He comforts. His warm soothing hands deprive me of my despair. I look up from our contact and look at his light brown eyes. They are the shade of hope and in them I find the security which I desperately miss. My heart pounds against my chest, faster and faster. I do not know what is happening and it is like I am watching as a spectator as my lips go towards his. I feel the tingling sensation though, when they find destination against his. I realise what I am doing and pull myself away reluctantly.

"I'm sorry Ian! This isn't right of me!" I mutter, aggravated at myself for falling for someone who I will never be able to obtain. I dig up the final mine before getting up and turning around. "I'm so sorry but I don't think I will be able to continue helping" I murmur.

"Finch! Wait!" The boy yells from behind me. "I love you!" It takes all my energy to ignore the pleading call and continue walking. I can feel my eyes water and I know I don't have enough time to walk, so in a final attempt to get away I exert myself to sprint back to the tree where Peeta will meet me at. It's hard because all I really want to do is go back to the sanctuary of my cave and shelter myself from all signs of life that seem to mock my heart with their disillusioned beauty and grace. My feet have carried me far from the boy but it doesn't feel far enough. I can still hear his yearning echoing in my ears. How haunted I feel by it. The wails send shivers down my spine and I feel cold all over, even though the sun is out and just moments ago I had been sweating whilst undergoing the arduous task of digging the mines up. _I hope he can finish it in time without me._ Now I feel completely selfish, what if he doesn't get it done before they get back? It doesn't matter. No matter how I feel I can't go back to him. I can't look straight at those genial eyes again. Not today anyways. He will be fine. I'm sure of it.

I finally reach the comfort of the tree I have come to know very well. I have developed a rather visceral feeling for it. I slide down against the smooth wooden bark of it, before realising I am trembling because of my intense chilling feeling. I curl up into a ball, trying to maintain some of my body warmth and press my face into my legs. It is only then that I feel alone enough to let my tears flux. Only there do I feel private enough to succumb into the tidal of emotions I feel surging through my heart and soul. Small choking cries leave my throat, but die in my mouth. Only three words course through my heart, mind and eyes; _it's not fair._ Those few words basically sum up my whole life, beginning from the death of my mother to now. Tears are coming out more rapidly now. Thoughts of not only Ian but my family toy with me and I simply let them. There is nothing else I can do. I do not feel in anytime compelled to get to my feet and hide. _I just don't care anymore. Let them have me…_ At least I can't suffer in death.

**I hold my mother's hand in my right hand and my father's in my left. Today is the first day of school. I am scared. I do not want to go. The thought of leaving my parents behind terrifies me beyond belief. **

"**Please mummy and daddy don't leave me here!" My six-year old self whimpers. My father crouches down on to one knee before me with his alluring smile.**

"**Now Finch, we are always with you, even when we are not" His words confuse me, how could something so contradictory make the slightest meaning of sense? He puts his hand into his pocket and brings an object out, cupping his hands over it so I cannot see it. He holds his hands in front of my face before removing his top hand revealing the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. "If you ever feel completely alone just look at this and know we are with you" My eyes gawk at the silvery chain that glimmers in the sunlight and a golden brooch which centres an enormous orangey-red Padparadscha. "This gem comes from Africa and is extremely rare; we thought it would be a good idea for you to have it. It matches your hair colour" He says as he brushes my hair behind my ear.**

"**That's right Finch. And no matter what happens dear, we want you to know we love you. Always have and always will" Mum whispers affectionately. **

My eyes flick open and it takes me a while to realise I am not six years old, I am not surrounded by my parents but in fact are alone in the middle of the woods. I grab my necklace, my token, and laugh in bitterness of it all. My mother's statement rings through my ears one last time.

"I believed you…" I whisper solemnly, out loud to no one in particular. As I look at my necklace I can't help but think of how much it must have costed them. _The gem came from Africa…_ that fact alone would have made the gem worth so much. When I was eight I had researched the papradscha. I found out that it was a type of sapphire... an extremely rare and expensive one. I had also looked into the design of the necklace. It is branded with a franchise name called 'all that glitters is gold', after much investigation I had found out it was from a small shop in district one, the luxury district. What I don't understand is how they managed to afford it. My parents were definitely not the richest in Panem, which is basically what would have been needed to obtain such value. It seems that this particular mystery will be nothing more than a mystery. Sunlight covers the ground, but I feel too well rested for it to only have been a short nap. I look up to the sun, looking for a clue in the time. The sun is too low to be afternoon. _I must have slept for at least fifteen hours…_ The rest pays off though and leaves me feeling stronger and less emotionally deprived. My mouth on the other hand is dry and my tongue feels rough like sandpaper. I pull out my bottle of water, unscrew the lid and bring it to my lips, thankful for the cool liquid which flows down my hoarse throat.

That's when I hear it. Claudius Templesmith's mocking voice rings throughout the arena. I look up to see his face illuminate the sky. His pudgy face tends to blend into his blonde hair.

"Hello tributes of the 74th annual Hunger games! A lot of consideration has taken place and we have decided to make a rule change" _A rule change?_ I brace myself for the worst, changes are only meant to cause excitement in the Capitol viewers and excitement in the viewers can only result in danger and despair to us… "The idea that only one tribute can win is now invalid" _What?!_ My mouth opens in shock. _If one can't win… _realization hits me hard as I look towards my only fate; death. _They aren't going to have a winner this game. They are going to kill all of us just to prove they can. Oh God…_ I am starting to hyperventilate when his voice starts again. "By a unanimous decision we have come to the conclusion that two tributes may win this year" _What?! Two tributes?! _"If…" _Here comes the catch… _"The last two tributes are in a relationship and the relationship is found acceptable by gamemakers standards. That is all" His voice ceases and I do not believe my ears. Do they betray me? No, I know what I had heard. _Ian…_ A smile covers my face because now there is hope for us. We can do this and live happily ever after… it would be a great change from my childhood. Just as I am thinking about the great future that Ian and I could have something interrupts it.

A booming sound echoes around me. The whole ground tips violently, around me. I cover my ears, in shock of the huge sound. I fear for a short moment that I am going to go deaf. The loud is just too clamorous. The sound finally stops and I stumble to my feet. _I need to check this out… _I take a few more steps before the deafening noise starts again, almost knocking me to the ground in shock. The aftershock lasts for about thirty seconds before stopping, just as it had started in abruptness. I have fastened my pace to a jog. I haven't heard any cannons, but they could have been easily lost in the uproarious cry of the explosion.

I break out into the open and run up to the impact site. Debris lays everywhere; everything has been blown to smithereens. I look for stray parts of bodies but there are no signs of life besides the uncommon splat of red ooze which sticks out in comparison to the lush grass. A huge grin covers my face and I run off into the woods of where I had come from. _Ian said he would meet me at the tree after the assault had completed. _I run back to the tree and am about to lie down against it when I hear a cannon._ That's a little too delayed for a death…_ My eyes widen in fear. My hands tremble in worry. I forget completely about the rule change and only worry about one thing.

"Oh my God. Peeta" He hadn't come back with the plant. _Is he dead?_ My heart stops and I fall to the ground in anxiety. I think about the last time I had seen him, how I had sent him off to the mountain to get me the plant. _Was that really the last time I would ever get to see him?_ _Maybe it was someone else?_ My brain tries to set back my paranoia but my heart doesn't receive the message. I know that there were ten people at the start of the day: the careers, Peeta, Katniss, Ian, me, a huge guy from district eleven and one other I can't remember. With the explosion there was only six, or at least I hope. I'm definitely not dead and Ian isn't, so there is a one in three chance, statistically that the death was Peeta's. The odd that Peeta is dead isn't big… statistically. But in practice, he had only had a knife. _The odds aren't in his favour._ I break down, completely. The blue-eyed, smile alluring boy who had wanted to be a baker is now dead. _And it is all, my, fault... why did I tell him to go to the mountain?!_

Tears leave my eyes but this time I do not bother to hide them from Panem. _Let them see, I don't care... I just don't care. _

"I'm sorry Peeta" I whisper, tears streaming down my face and dropping of my chin onto the grassy floor, the floor so full of colour and life. _So unlike my life…_ "I'm sorry!" I shout, my emotion breaking into my voice.

"Oh my gosh! Finch what happened? I'm so glad you are alright! I heard the explosion and the cannon!" _Ian… his voice full of so much comfort and heart. At least now we can be together…_ I look up and see a familiar set of blue eyes carrying a plant.

"Peeta!" I get up and wipe the tears from my eyes, reaching in to embrace the boy, my arms wrapping around his back. He feels warm in my arms, his chest against mine. _Wait. Ian should be here by now._ I pull back from Peeta's sturdy arms and take off back towards the cornucopia. _Please be okay Ian. Please! _ My feet feel too slow for the carry of my body and for the race of my heartbeat.

After what seems like an eternity I finally reach the outskirts of the forest which lie in front of the wreckage. I poke my eyes out of the green barrier, which conceals my existence from what I see. Ahead of me the careers stand, all of them, unscathed. They are searching through the rubble, scavenging for usable items. Then I see him. He is lying on the ground, his neck resting in an unnatural angle. I don't even have to check for a pulse. I already know;_ Ian is dead._ The boy whose lips had touched mine twice is now no longer here with me. He is gone. I can no longer stare at the corpse of my ally. That doesn't stop my head from remembering everything. Like how his family had already lost a daughter in the seventy-second hunger games, and how he had wanted to be a nuclear engineer, and how his brown eyes radiated warmth when he made eye contact with me, and how his laugh carried a slight hesitation to it always and how he had looked at me with such august on his face but the thing I shall never, ever forget is my one-worded conclusion I had previously come up with to the question of whether I had liked him or not.

**The answer was yes.**

**It had always been yes.**

I get up to leave but turn back towards the boy and whisper four words to the departing soul.

"I love you too"

(OOC: Review please people! I need your opinions! And I always read them! So please review!)


	15. Going Under

(OOC: Sorry for taking so long! I've been swamped in school work...  
Dragonmaster1296 - Thanks! I'm so glad the chapter was alright! I hope I keep you pleased with the upcoming chapters!)

**Chapter 15 – Going Under  
**

_It's gone. It's all gone._ Every little bit of food we one possessed has been blown to pieces. But that doesn't worry me. What does is the smouldering Cato which stands before me, and for the first time I feel frightened. I do not see the blonde haired boy who I had come to know so well because in his place, is a stranger with a sadistic complexion. To the left of me, a blue-eyed girl stands still, I can hear her breaths from where I am, they are deep and calm, _she sees nothing wrong with this_. Next to her is Marvel, who carries his spear in one hand with such attentiveness on his face that makes him look ready enough to take out whoever dares to cross his path. But over to the right is Peeta, the kind-hearted boy who loves baking. He does not bother to try and suppress the fear that is apparent on his face. He slowly takes a step back, trying to escape not only from the blood-thirst in front of us but from the cruelty of the world. It's a shame he will never find it, not in this time or era. Me? My face maybe completely tranquil but underneath I feel like a ticking time-bomb. Well this bomb will have to wait a while before it can make a fool out of me. There have been enough explosions for one day I think. So instead of breaking down, like I want to, I take a step forward, towards Cato.

"Cato. Calm down!' I shout, anger – just one of the many emotions I feel at the moment- filling my voice.

"But the fucking food is gone Clove! Can't you see that?!" He shouts back, more than equally enraged. I watch for a moment as he lashes out and kicks the remain on a box which only further destroys it, sending splinters of wood flying like shrapnel from a grenade.

"We can get more okay?!" I take another step towards him. "Just calm down" I try again, this time with a more placid tone. The boy lets out an unearthly scream and punches the ground, hard, with his bare fists. As he bends back up I put my hand on his shoulder. "Calm down Cato, everything will be fine" That was the biggest lie ever. Cato's eyes meet mine before smiling.

"You're right" He says as he regains a more controlled composure.

"We should probably clear out and let them collect the body…" Glimmer suggests as she walks off towards the forest with Peeta not far behind. A look at Cato's eyes show sadness. _He knows he is losing her._ We all follow the leading girl and wait for the hovercraft which flies over us. It won't be long until the body is taken back to the grieving family. But that is the least of my problems at the moment. Survival comes first… and the new rule could be extremely helpful in terms of survival… but I don't know the slightest things about relationships. I have never had a boyfriend before. In fact the closest thing to a boyfriend was Cato back in District Two, but here he is different. I'm not sure if it is because he is completely infatuated with Glimmer or the Games are just getting to him. My eyes scan the other two candidates; Marvel and Peeta. I don't really know anything about Marvel besides his weapon choice, the spear. Then there is Peeta. The outliner. The loverboy. He is amazing. He is the best person to talk to because he always listens and can talk with such beauty behind his words. My heart starts beating, faster and faster. _What is wrong with me? I have never felt like this before. _For a moment Peeta's eyes train on to mine and I feel bound to them, so much that I can almost see the rope which traps my gaze. He smiles before moving his stare to Glimmer. I break from the spell and shake my head. _No. Not Peeta. He is off limits. He is with Glimmer. _The other side of my conscious struggles with me. _Isn't it fake though? Didn't you tell him to just pretend?_ Determined to make this a debate against myself I respond back. _I've seen them kiss. That definitely wasn't fake, It contained too much emotion, too much desire, too much heart. _I exhale deeply. My brain has won over my heart. I turn away from the sweet blonde and stare into the sky instead. The hovercraft is leaving, just like the setting sun.

"Let's go back. I'm tired" I say, leaving without waiting for the others opinions.

I reach the canvas cover of the tent and crawl in, eager to take sleep from the day which has set so much opportunity and just as much pain. I lay myself down and close my eyes. Only to have them flicker open to the sound of someone else entering.

"Hey Clove!" Glimmer's chirpy voice sings. "Can you believe it?"

"Not really but I guess he must have just put the mines to close together"

"What? No! Not that! The rule change!" _Leave it to Glimmer to always focus on the positive._

"It doesn't really affect me" I state as I close my eyes.

"Aw come on, you at least got to try! I'm sure you and Marvel would be a great couple!" I sit up abruptly and stare down the girl.

"I don't even know the guy. And what about Cato? Why Marvel?" I ask, anger threatening to pierce my voice.

"Well I'm still with him at the moment so you can't really can you?" She asks rhetorically. My hand tightens into a fist and my eyes widen at her.

"Don't you have a thing with Peeta though?" I say still managing to look and sound calm.

"Yeah but doesn't mean I don't like Cato. And besides he is technically my ex. You don't go out with your friend's ex" She states casually. _Screw it, I can't help it anymore._ I grit my teeth before opening my mouth.

"Fuck off Glimmer! We are in the damn Hunger Games! I don't think that applies in this kind of condition!" _Who the hell does she think she is?_ Her smile subsides and she looks at me with detest. I answer with a glare.

"If you know what's good for you, you won't lay a finger on him" She spits. I resist the urge to slap her in the face and try to calm myself down.

"Fine" I say even when I know that's not what I think. But it seems to satisfy Glimmer.

"Thanks Clove! You're a really good friend!" Her bubbly mood returning quickly. _Wow. Maybe this girl is bipolar…_ I close my eyes and finally escape from reality.

* * *

"Come on! Quick!" My eyelids flicker up revealing the dark canvas of the tent. _What the hell?_ "Over here!" The voice I quickly identify to be Glimmer's. _Why is she outside and who is she talking to?_ The canvas rustles until the blonde's hair emerges.

"Glimmer what are you doing?" I say drearily still partly stuck in sleep. The girl either doesn't hear me or deliberately ignores me. Another rustle of the tent reveals another head, not quite as blonde as the first.

"Come on Peeta quick!" Glimmer says as she grabs his hand and drags the boy inside completely. _Peeta? What is he doing here at this time?_

"I'm here, don't worry Cato didn't see" He says. His eyes fall on mine. "Oh I'm so sorry Clove! I didn't mean to wake you. If you want I can go" Glimmer's eyes basically beg me to say 'stay'. But that's not why I said it.

"No, it's fine, you can stay I am rested enough" I don't think I can go back to sleep now anyways, the surprising appearance of Peeta has woken me up completely…

"Thanks Clove you're a great friend" My heart starts racing, pounding harder and harder on my chest. I freak out a little because I am afraid they can hear it. _Why do I keep acting this way? _"We would have gone to my tent but its right next to Cato's… and I don't exactly feel like dying today" I let out a light laugh.

"I'm sure you can take him" I semi-joke.

"Oh of course, just remind me, is that before or after he kills me?" He laughs.

"Stop flirting!" Glimmer grabs his hand and pulls him toward her. "You're mine and I don't like to share" She kisses him deeply, holding his head. My heart stops and my face sinks. It was then that I realised that I was in love with Peeta Mellark. And ironically enough it was also then that I realised I would never be able to have him. I swallow and roll over, pushing my face into the ground to get away from the horrid imagery in front of me. The sound of lips parting takes place and I silently breathe a sigh of relief.

"I love you Glimmer" I had thought that my heart was done with its symptoms from heartbreak but apparently not. A sharp pain pierces it, hard. It hurts so much that tears start to slide down my face. I push myself up and crawl out the door. "Clove, where are you going?" _Anywhere… as long as it isn't here._ My heart has taken too much of a bashing for one day and I have to get out before it dies completely. "Clove?" I do not reply but instead get up off my hands and knees and sprint. Where? I do not know. I just know that I have to get away, quickly. Tears now fall rapidly despite my best efforts to stop them. One foot after another I sprint into the night. My eyes close, giving me some time to hide my weakness from the viewing world. **SMACK! **I fall to the ground in surprise of the sudden impact. My eyes open to reveal a towering figure before me.

"Clove?" The voice carries a certain assertiveness that I instantly know the voice's owner; Cato.

"Sorry" I stand up; the tears still rolling and I turn away ready to take flight once more. Cato's huge hand clamps onto my arm.

"Clove!" He shouts. "What's wrong?" _What the hell is wrong with me? This is not me, I am not a weak crying girl!_ I know I cannot confess to Cato, I can't tell him what's wrong. It would kill Cato… who would kill Peeta… literally. I can't betray him like that. Glimmer though, maybe.

"Nothing, let go of me!" I shout back, twisting my arm, trying to get out of his tight hold.

"Come on Clove, you used to tell me everything" That was true. Back in District two things were great, life was made happy thanks to Cato. Now? Not so much. Things are complicated and the surface is too hard to even scratch.

"Yes we used to! Then you met Glimmer and looked at me like I was a thistle in your foot!" I scream, the anger slowly pushing the sorrow out of my voice.

"What are you going on about Clove?!" He vociferates.

"Don't give me that! You know exactly what Cato! You practically avoided me like the plague as soon as you and Glimmer started dating!" Cato sighs and removes his hand allowing himself to cross his arms.

"Clove, I didn't know you felt like that" He inhales before continuing. "I'm sorry" Surprize overcomes my anger and I'm amazed beyond belief. This is not like Cato to be apologetic; his arrogance never allows him to see his faults. "Is it okay if we just talk for a while? I really need the company" This is the first time I look up to Cato's face. His eyes appear red and stressed. _Perhaps all this time he was the one who needed help._

"Yeah, I don't think I'll be sleeping anytime soon anyway" Not_ with that abomination of a relation going on inside… _Cato sends me a warm smile, so much different from the usual smug one which he carries around everywhere.

"Is it okay if we go to my tent? I kind of just want to talk to you, not Glimmer" _Not Glimmer? Things are definitely wrong._

"Sure"

* * *

I crawl in the tent after the sturdy boy; the canvas on my knees feels smooth and rough all at the same time. I sit myself next to the now seated Cato.

"So anything in particular you want to talk about?" I ask curiously.

"Can I ask you something? Friend to friend?" _What would he want to ask me?_

"Fire away" I lie down against the canvas and get in a comfortable position.

"Well you know Glimmer right?"

"No… of course not" I remark sarcastically, Cato shoots me a playful glare.

"Well, umm" He starts before stopping abruptly. "Are she and Peeta in a relationship?" I am completely taken back by the question. _What am I supposed to do? Am I meant to tell my very first friend the truth or am I meant to lie and protect my new friend?_ "Please Clove tell me the truth" I hesitate for only a moment before letting out a one worded reply.

"No" And just like that I had lied to one of my best friends. Cato takes a moment to study my face before nodding.

"Thank you" He whispers; his mouth slowly turning at the ends into an amazing smile. I relax myself knowing that he will not question me any further on the matter. The boy lies down next to me. "Do you remember that time when we ditched training?" I laugh. It was a beautiful day outside and we had decided it would be better used on ourselves instead of training. We snuck out and went to the city where we spent the day jumping from cinema to cinema, without paying. When we were doing our third movie jump we got caught. We sprinted as fast as we could out of the shopping centre, the entire time laughing deliriously.

"Of course, how could I forget the sudden look on your face when we were caught?' I deride.

"Me?! You should have seen yourself! Your eyes were as big as saucers!" He cracks bursting out into hysterical laughter. I cannot hold in mine either, it flows out of my mouth like lava from a volcanic eruption. It's strange to think only ten minutes ago I had fallen from the cliff of contentment, because now I am soaring like an eagle in the clouds. We talk for what feels like hours.

I don't know when I had fallen asleep but I awake looking at Cato. He lays next to me, eyes closed and lost in the condensed world of slumber. In his dreaming state he looks calm and innocent; unpenetrated by the horrors of today's society. I smile gently, as I watch him roll in his sleep. I push myself up off the floor and head out the door, taking a moment to look back at the peaceful image.

"Goodnight Cato" I whisper softly before taking flight into the world of reality. As I exit, the very first thing I see is a set of fiery blue eyes, widening at me. I do not wait for her to interrogate me; instead I send her a pleased smile before walking away, _there let her jump to conclusions._

I know exactly where I want to go: my one place of beauty. The breath-taking place I shared with the boy on fire. Despite my slow trudging feet my lips are curved in a moment of brilliance. I am still on my mental high from last night. I hope it keeps that way too, because the lower you get the more pressure builds up on you, layers upon layers of atmospheres all pushing down on you, begging you to fall further.

The late morning heat is starting to make its appearance and it leaves me shielding my eyes as I tread toward my destination. My pace is broken as I trip on what appears to be tangled roots.

"Who put that there?!" I growl quietly before pushing myself off the ground, only to discover I have a twisted ankle… again. "You've got be kidding me!" I grumble, this time more loudly. I remove my leg from the ground and turn around, ready to hop back to camp as there is not much of a point in continuing my travel in this condition, but the brook is so close I can hear the rhythmic sound of the rushing water. I close my eyes, taking a moment to see the brook in all its elegance. Temptation diverges me from the path I know I should take and instead leads me to turn back toward the river.

"Hey Clove" I jump back, almost falling backward onto the ground.

"Peeta! You scared the heck out of me! Don't do that again!" I shout, more so due to the anger of appearing like a scaredy-cat in front of the entire nation than actually being scared.

"Sorry" He says before his eyes lower to my leg which isn't touching the ground. "What happened?"

"I was going to sit by the river when I tripped and rolled my ankle"

"Here let me give you a hand" He says as he goes to wrap his arm around my back.

"No I'll manage" I say as I swat the arm away. Why touch what I can't have? My mind replays last night's little episode and I can feel my high disintegrating. I hop away from the boy and start to close in on the brook.

"Clove, don't be ridiculous! Let me help you! You'll just drain yourself of energy if you keep that up! It's a long way back to camp, let me remind you" I sigh. I know he is right. There will be no way I could hop all the way back to camp like this. Peeta's footsteps reach me in half the time and energy it took me. Without any warning Peeta's arm wraps around my back. "Put your arm over my shoulder" I do as he says. His arm on my back feels warm and sturdy. It reminds me of a fireplace. "To the river we go then" What should have been a four minute walk turns into eight. The whole time my heart is racing like a cheetah on speed. I hope he can't hear it. Despite how nervous his touch makes me feel, I don't want him to let go. I want to save this moment and live in it forever.

Regardless of how I feel he lets go, after situating me on the bank, amongst the lilacs which overlook the brook. Peeta sits next to me; thankfully not abandoning me here.

"Peeta?" The boy turns to look at me, his eyes full of life. "Thanks" I whisper before looking back at the feat of nature before me.

"It's okay" There is a moment of silence, but to me all I can here is the roaring melody of my heart as is thumps against my chest, desperate for the touch of the boy next to me. "Clove?" He asks, and this time it is my turn to look at him. "Why did you run out of the tent?" My gut backflips inside of me and my only choice is to turn away from his peering eyes before I start to blush.

"Peeta" I close my eyes and tighten them. Hard. Fearing what is about to come next. "I like you" I get no response and take it as a key to keep talking. "I like you a lot" Still nothing. I wince but continue talking. "I've had this feeling for a while, but I didn't realise what it was until I saw you and Glimmer kiss by the side of the brook" I take a deep breath and continue digging my grave. "I know I told you to pretend like you were in love with her but at that time I knew you had fallen for her. You showed too much passion for it to be remotely fake. That's why it hurt" I feel like running off into the woods and hiding for the rest of my life yet still I push on. "So last night, when I saw you with Glimmer, when you told her…" I breathe another deep breath. "You loved her, it killed me. I wanted to just die. That's why I had to get away. I was in the middle of breaking down" My eyes tighten even more. I wait for the response I know I will dread.

"Clove!" He screams suddenly, making me open my eyes in surprise. "Run!" He yells as he gets up to his feet, pulling me to mine at the same time. A huge rumbling sound is coming from behind us. I turn back for only a moment to see the horror. A landslide. It is ripping trees out of the ground as it makes its way toward us. I know instantaneously that we will not be fast enough if he helps me to walk back. I am about to tell him to leave me when he picks me up, quite literally, holding me in such a way that a groom would hold a bride. He doesn't waste time, he picks up pace straight away. I turn my head reluctantly; the landslide is gaining on us. _There is no way we will be able to outrun it! It is going too fast!_ Peeta speeds up; he forces all of his strength into his run, turning it into a slow sprint. _I am holding him back… he is never going to make it with me. _

"Peeta! Let go of me! You won't make it with me! I'm too much weight!" My screaming, barely audible over the roaring cacophony behind us. He shakes his head and I know there is nothing I can do to persuade him. I resort to my last strategy. I punch the boy in the face. Yes, I know it sounds terrible but that is what had to be done. He drops me by instinct and raises his hand to his face. He stops and turns back to me. I sit on the ground and my eyes widen as I look at the ignorant boy in front of me. "Run for Glimmer and Katniss!" I scream. He gives a pained expression but doesn't move. "Fucking run Peeta!" He finally moves. I look around me quickly, searching for any means of salvation. A huge rock sticks out of the ground to the left of me, offering me possible protection, so in one last desperate attempt I get up and hop over to it before falling against the side of it. I look out over toward Peeta, capturing the image of the boy one last time before my eyesight is covered by layers upon layers of ground. I clench my eyes as it makes impact. I do not pray to God as the ground engulfs me, instead only five words come to my mind:

_**I'll never know his response...**_

(OOC: Tell me what you guys think! Please! I read every review and love any words that you may have! Whether positive or negative! And I have now reached 50,000 words! Woo! Next chapter will most likely be a while thanks to exams and assignments... but after that I will try to get it up ASAP, will be at least two weeks until next update)


	16. Increasing Deplorability

**Chapter 16 – Increasing Deplorability**

(OOC: Glimmer's POV  
Dragonmaster1296 - I'm glad it is being unpredictable =) I will try to only raise the climax in the chapters to come, I hoe you enjoy them!  
Glato.4ever - Thanks! I'm glad you loved it! I hope this doesn't disappoint you!  
Hufflepuffius - All will be revealed in time, and you never know ;))

I cannot wait to get my hands on Clove. I will tear her apart, limb from limb. _How dare she sleep with Cato?! After everything I said? How could she betray me like that? Screw her. I still have Peeta. _I unclench my hands and take a deep breath. I walk over to Peeta's tent.

"Peeta?" I ask. A moment of silence takes place. I stick my head in, just to make sure that my ears do not deceive me. Nothing but a sleeping bag on canvas. _Maybe he is by the fire… _I retreat backwards toward the fire. But he is not there either. Only Marvel eating and a great flickering light. "Have you seen Peeta?"

"Yeah. He was with Clove. They went off that way" He says, pointing out over the trees. My fists clench involuntarily. I storm off toward the trees in a blinding state of rage. My feet making sure they snap every tiny twig, crumple every dried up leaf and destroy everything in between. They must match the bitterness which grasps me. _They must match how Clove will look when I'm done with her: broken._ My pace breaks into a light jog. _It wasn't enough for her to sleep with Cato?! Now she is taking Peeta!_ My teeth grind furiously against themselves. _What the hell is her problem? Why can't she just let me be happy? I had thought she was my friend. I had thought she was someone who I could trust with all my life. How wrong I had been._ I grab something from my right pocket. A sharp, metallic knife and hold it fiercely. _She is going to pay…_

My feet thudding against the ground makes a steady rhythm. The exact opposite of how I feel. Determined not to be calmed down by the rhythmic beats of it I speed my pace up. It is now a much angrier version. _That's better._ My heart is beating so loud that it is the only thing I hear. **Boom-Boom, Boom-Boom. **Exhaustion fills me, but my adrenaline is far too high to stop so quickly. It causes my hands to tremble. I sidestep to the right, avoiding a tree barely. That's when I hear it. A slow rumbling off in the distance. I take a moment to stop and listen. The noise is getting closer.

"What the hell?" I whisper to myself. And that's when I see it. Trees off in the distance, getting ripped from the ground, pulled along in one big wave of earth… and running from it is a small figure.

"Run Glimmer!" Peeta shouts. He has almost caught up to me when I finally turn around and start running. If I thought I had adrenaline before, my blood must now be only adrenaline. Peeta is now beside me. He is covered by a thick layer of sweat. It drips off his chin in huge droplets. His clothes are completely drenched, just as well as his hair. I can hear his rapid panting, filling the air between us. _How long has he been running for? How long will we be running for, before we too, just like the trees, are covered over and forgotten? _No words are passed between us two. We are far too exhausted. Each step feels like an eternity. I am slowly succumbing to the pain in my right side; a stitch. _Why now, out of all times?_ A part of me finds it humorous how cruel the world can be. Brought in to life only to be killed so young. For the first time in the games I think about my parents. I wonder if they are watching right now. I wonder if they are scared, full of worry. Or maybe they are cheering on my death? My eyes glance over to Peeta. Regardless if my parents miss me or not, his would. He has a life to go back to. He has hope. He needs to live. Suddenly inspired, I receive a sudden burst of energy. My hand reaches out and wraps around Peeta's wrist. My legs speed up, back to a sprint, pulling Peeta with it.

I don't know how long we run for, but the sun is setting now. I haven't turned to look for ages. Fear has told me that if I was to, I would be covered instantaneously. I can tell it has been the same with Peeta for my eyes keep glancing back to him every few moments, as if to make sure he is still here, still with me. The pain of the run is evident on his face. _Don't give up. Keep running. _I think, hoping somehow it will reach him telepathically. He looks over at me, a bittersweet smile on his face. His gasps for air are so jagged and rough… or is that me? I cannot tell, sound has become so deluded to me in this state. What will be next? My touch? My smell? Or my sight? I gulp. I look down and see Peeta's hand still in mine. Sure this is no stroll in the park, and no matter how awkward the hold has been, we have kept it. Even throughout all the sweat in between them. It gives me hope. Hope when there is none. Light where there is nothing but darkness. He is the moonlight which guides me home in the latest of hours. He is the one exception to my damnation of eternal obscurity. My eyes flick back to him. And that's when I feel it.

The impact of the ground is a sudden and unexpected inconvenience. I had tripped. As I hit the ground, I rolled, my eyes now facing the direction we came from. There is nothing. No clue that disaster had ever taken place.

"Glimmer come on, you have to get up!" He pants as he helps me up.

"No. Peeta" I exhale. "There's " Inhale. "Nothing" Exhale. "There" I manage to get out as I point behind us. He looks, as if to confirm and then starts bursting into laughter. I raise an eyebrow to him, still panting. His laughter continues, even though he is fighting to breathe at the same time. And then the weirdest thing happens. I start to laugh. It really doesn't make sense. We have been fighting for our lives all day and yet here we are laughing? Maybe exhaustion has deluded us so much that we cannot think straight. I fall to the ground, partly from the laughter and partly from the need to breathe. I hear the sound of retching coming from Peeta's direction. But for some reason that only makes me laugh more. _Maybe this is what it feels like when you are on drugs… _My laughter is cut short as a wave of nausea floods over me. The result is a thick pool of vomit by my feet. Peeta starts laughing maniacally. I wipe the excess from my lip and spit to try and get rid of the repulsive taste left in my mouth. I turn to look at Peeta and move my hand up to my chin, signalling him that he has a little bit of vomit on his face still. My face contorts back into derision, laughing wildly. He soon joins me. After a minute or so of concentrated mirth, it withers slowly; granting me the ability to think. I look over to Peeta and see the same thing. His joyful smile is gone, and in its place is a depressed frown.

"What's wrong Peeta?"

"Clove. She's dead. Caught in the landslide" _Good. Saves me having to do it._ I open my mouth in fake shock and pat him on the back with my clean hand.

"I know it hurts but now we are one step closer to leaving. Together" I smile blithely at him. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

"You're right" As I look at him, I can see there is something he is not telling me, but I let it slide. He is in pain.

"We're almost at camp. Come on." I say tugging at his arm, leading the way. _Just one more competitor and Peeta and I can love unopposed…_

* * *

I remove my clothes and dip them into the water. They still carry the odorous scent of vomit. I sigh, before stepping into the cool water. I venture into the middle of the lake and dive down, with my clothes still in my left hand. With my right hand I scrub furiously at them, hoping that it would get rid of the scent. I come up above the water and take a deep inhale. _Yes. Much better. _I rest the clothes on a rock by the side of the lake. When I turn back around I am greeted by a blonde haired boy. _Shirtless…_

"Hey Glimmer" He greets, taking off his trousers.

"Cato what are you doing?"

"You're not the only person who bathes… and besides you've seen me naked before… and vice versa" He says adding a wink.

"Cato, I'm not really in the mood for anything" I say, turning away -before the boy removes his underwear- in an attempt to be completely faithful to Peeta. Despite my pure thoughts my eyes corrupt me. I cannot control the backward glances they steal secretly. He is beautiful. He attracts every sense… it takes everything in me to not swim up to him and place my hands onto his smooth skin. I can hear the splashing of water, getting closer and closer. It stops and I can feel his breath on my neck. The warmth alone gives me goosebumps. His lips make contact with my neck and I recoil. I push him away and take a step back from the boy.

"Glimmer don't you love me?" I hesitate. _I can't break his heart; he would break the half of mine which Peeta possesses… _

"Yes… I just told you I'm not in the mood" I say, still facing away from the boy. The splashing indicates his closing in, again.

"Glimmer, how can you not be in the mood? Look around, we are all alone, with the only light being the moonlight coming from above us" He is right. The whole atmosphere is enchanting. It only entices the feeling of desire. _The emotion which is taking over my body right now…_

Desperate to save myself, I rethink my strategy. "Cato… the whole of Panem is watching us right now. Do you really think I want to exploit myself like that?" _Nice save._

"Says the girl who is naked" His hand slides down my arm, before coming to a rest at my hand, where he intertwines our fingers. "Tell me the real reason" I clamp my eyelids. It's moments like this when I just want to tell him everything. But I can't.

That's when I remember I haven't told him yet. "Clove's dead Cato" His hand slips away from mine. I do not have to turn around to know that his face is lathered in shock. "That's the real reason" I lie. I honestly couldn't care less about her death. She double, no triple crossed me. _She can rot in hell for all I care._ Silence takes grasp of the air between us, and that's all it takes for Peeta's face to fill my mind. One word is all that comes to thought: stunning. No, that's wrong. Cato is stunning. Peeta is something different… he is breath-taking, as his good-looks go further than skin deep.

"How?" Cato finally manages. His voice is deeply affected by sorrow. That's when I suddenly remember. Clove hadn't been the only one playing dirty. It has always taken two to tango.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" The sudden change of my voice takes Cato by surprise.

"Yes! I would!" His voice raising, anger filling in the words.

"Screw you! I don't have to tell you anything!" I shout back, swimming out of the water and onto the shore. His splashing chases me.

"Fucking hell Glimmer! She was my friend!" I let the water drip off of me for a moment before grabbing my clothes, aggression building up as the tension does.

"Friend?! Friends don't fuck one another!" His hand wraps around my wrist and tenses. Hard. I can feel my bones bending under the pressure.

"What the hell are you talking about Glimmer!" Tighter and tighter. Fear strikes inside me but I do not process it. My stubbornness doesn't let me back out.

"Don't play games with me Cato! I saw Clove this morning leaving your tent!" Tighter.

"So you're spying on me now? You don't even trust me?!" Tighter.

"Cato you're hurting me" My voice finally falls to the pain I feel.

"Why would you think I would ever do something like that to you?! Don't I deserve some type of trust? You are my girlfriend for crying out loud!" Tighter.

"Cato!" I shout, all anger subsiding into fear and agony. _What if he squeezes so hard that I lose it?_ Cato's eyes widen before letting go quickly.

"Glimmer I'm sorry" His tone dramatically changed to a now concerned voice. I bring my wrist up in front of my eyes and look at the damage. My wrist is swollen to almost twice the size and the skin around it is a dark red. "I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to hurt you, I swear" I stand there for a moment just looking at the bruise in disgust. "Let me have a look" He says moving his hand to mine, but I swat it away with the same hand. My face contorts into the pain I feel causing me to curse under my breath.

"I think you've caused enough trouble. I'll get Marvel to look at it" I say, slipping on my clothes with my uninjured hand.

"At least let me walk you there" He says.

"I don't think Marvel will appreciate a naked guy showing up at his tent at this time of the night. Goodnight Cato" I say, my voice neutral, showing neither frustration nor vivacity. And just like that I leave the eight-packed boy behind.

"Glimmer, nothing happened between me and Clove!" He shouts, at me. They are just words. They don't provide me with anything. I had seen Clove coming from the tent. She had smiled like they had just done it all night long. As if I was going to just buy the product after I had seen the price. It's nothing but delusive advertisement…

* * *

I shake my head, trying hopelessly to get a little bit of the water out of my hair. Cool droplets drip on to my face and I wipe it away with my dominant hand which was luckily the uninjured one. I crouch down, levelling me with the door of Marvel's tent.

"Marvel" I whisper. No response. "Marvel?" I try a little louder. Still nothing. I sigh and crawl in, avoiding the use of my left hand. In front of me lies a sleeping brunette. "Marvel!" I say as I nudge him. He shakes, freaked by the suddenness. "Can you look at my wrist for me please?" He fumbles with the flashlight by the side of him. He flicks it on and I put out my wrist for his observation. He takes a moment to analyse it.

"Wow that's some severe bruising…" He murmurs.

"How bad?" I ask, reluctantly.

"Bad enough to be compartment syndrome" He construes.

"What does that even mean?" I ask, fury building up.

"It's the compression of nerves, blood vessels, and muscle inside a compartment within the body" He states professionally. For a moment I actually believe I am back in District One at the hospital.

"Okay… but how bad is this 'compartment syndrome'?" I look into his green eyes for any sign. Only just like a doctor's they hide all emotion and clues.

"Not good. Worst case scenario, you die. Very unlikely though. Especially since it is in your wrist. The only treatment for it is surgery. The longer it is left the worse it will get. It can lead to limb loss if not treated ASAP" My eyes widen in shock and my head shakes in disbelief. _This can't be happening…_

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Well I'm definitely no doctor or anything, but I am ninety-five percent sure it's compartment syndrome. Try not to use it, and avoid touching it at all" I desperately hope against hope it is that five percent.

"Thanks for looking at it. I'll see you in the morning" _I hope._ I crawl back out, forgetting about not using my left hand. A small whimper leaves my mouth as my injured hand makes contact with the ground.

"Are you okay?" Marvel asks sympathetically.

"Just dandy, thanks" I reply sarcastically, annoyed with such a stupid question. _You try being told that you may lose your limb…_ I manage my way out barely before clambering to my feet. I take a moment to dust myself off before starting my walk back to Clove and I's tent. _My tent._ As I reach it the Capitol's anthem starts playing. I gaze up into the starry night sky, watching the huge screen light up, displaying the Capitol emblem. The anthem plays through and the screen flicks off. I involuntarily clench my fists, before jumping back in pain. Another thing to add to the list of things my left hand can't do. Instead I grit my teeth and curse under my breath. Sometimes life really is unfair.

_She is still alive. She is still fucking alive. _

I let out a high pitched squeal of frustration before kicking out in rage at a rock which happened to rest by my foot. Why couldn't the bitch just die? Why is everything going wrong? And why is it all happening to me?!

(OOC: thanks for reading! Please review! And guys I have started on another fanfic, involving a love triangle between:Cato, Clove and Peeta, it actually started after being asked by mustachegirl for a cleeta fanfic, have a look please! I won't write the next chapter until I get five reviews, I know that sounds mean but it's just that it should give me time to write a bit on my other fanfic. Oh and by the way everyone who reviews gets a cookie... and they rock... =D!)


	17. Finding Revelations

**(OOC: Dr****agonmaster1296 -****Hahaha I can't wait to write it either ;)****It will definit****ely**** be an exciting chapter! I hope that this chapter is ****more exciting for you! And thanks so much for reviewing so much =D You are awesome!****)**

**Chapter 17- Finding Revelations**

Another day is passing. Another time is commencing. Clove is now as good as dead, Peeta tells me she was crushed underneath a landslide. I could not bear to tilt my head to the sky and see her face surrounded by the stars and drowned out by the Capitol anthem. It would have brought back too many memories off the old days, days which now, I would rather forget. Even though they were some of the best in my life. I have to make amends with Clove's death. I cannot do that when I can still see every freckle on her face, every stray black hair which dangled from her head and every speck of life and death which rested inside her eyes. She had been my first true friend. How am I supposed to get over that? Well I'm going to have to. There is a game to play still and just because another person has lost doesn't mean it stops. _So many more people will have to fall. _I try to preoccupy my mind with something else, _anything else_, to get the thought out of my head. So instead of Clove I find myself thinking about Glimmer. _She doesn't believe me. She thinks Clove and I really had sex._ I let out an exasperated sigh, full of all means of frustration. _I really should check on her. _Last night she had been so angry at me. I don't think it helped that I had hurt her wrist either… _I hope it is okay…_

Driven by concern I make my way out of my tent, where my restless night had taken place. Dreams had been used just as another torturous method to remind me of Clove and my angered girlfriend. As I get to her tent, I am reminded of how it was Clove's just as much as Glimmer's. I force myself to push the information out of my head.

"Glimmer?" I ask, not entering yet.

"Go away"

"Glimmer? Come on, let's talk"

"Later, I'm not in the mood at the moment. I'm too angry right now"

"Okay… but we have to talk later" I say, getting up and turning around. I manage six steps before I turn back around and head back to the tent. I poke my head in.

"No we have to talk no-"My eyes widen. In the midst of the dark canvas is Glimmer and Peeta…her lips on his, her hands on his face, his hands around her. The lips part and the pair turn to me; eyes reflecting mine.

"It's not what it looks like" Her words sounding like an unoriginal sit com.

"Oh really? Then what the hell is it?! Because to me, it looks like the girl who was accusing me of being unfaithful turned out to be the unfaithful one" I can almost feel steam coming out of my nostrils, regardless of the comicality sight which is probably proposed I have never felt more ticked.

"I'm sorry Cato" She whispers. What does it matter now? After she has gone through with such lustful deceits? My fists clench and my teeth grind. Glimmer sees it and fear strikes her eyes.

"You know Glimmer, you were the first girl I was actually sure I was in love with" I take a step toward her. "And you do this to me?" Anger flooding my veins and pumping my heart faster and faster. Her lips remain sealed. This only seems to enrage me more though. "You are worthless" I take another step toward her. "You are a traitor" Another. "You are a fucking no good heart-breaking selfish deceitful liar! I hope you rot in hell" I pull my fist up, preparing for contact. She tenses and closes her eyes, ready for the pain.

"It's not her fault" I look over to Peeta. "It's mine" He says, moving in front of Glimmer, shielding her with his body. "If you're going to take it out on anyone, take it out on me" His eyes pierce at me, challenging me, daring me to punch him.

"You're ridiculous Glimmer. You can't even face your own problems and accept the consequences" I laugh mockingly. My eyes stare back at Peeta's. "Don't worry; I'm angry at you too loverboy. I was planning on teaching you a lesson as well… but if you want to start now, sure" My fist dashes at his face, smashing into his cheek. His head recoils at the impact but manages to still stand. I lift my fist back up, preparing myself for round two when I see something in the corner of my eye. Something purple… Glimmer's bruised wrist. It brings me back to my senses. Her pain she has gone through, because of me… I back away from the pair. "We are no longer friends, we are no longer allies, we are enemies. I'm going for a walk, and if I see either of you when I get back, or in fact any time throughout the games I will not hesitate to kill you… both of you" I take one last glance at the girl who has broken my heart and the boy who had jumped on the shards before leaving the tent.

My chest is still beating like crazy after I have entered the forest. The picture of the two of them kissing has refused to leave my head. _How could she betray me like that?_ My head has no answer for the likes of such question, but I'm not even sure if I want one. My words from before play into my mind. _'I will not hesitate to kill you… both of you…' _I know for a fact I mean those words. I tighten my grip on the sword which dangles by my right leg. How easy it would be to do, to end the girl-who-I had-once-loved-and-still-do's life. One movement of a sword is all it would take. It would just be like any other kill I have already done. I am so lost in thought that I don't hear the girl.

"Cato?" The girl tries again, yet doesn't seem able to penetrate my thinking. So instead she reaches out and grabs my shoulder. I jump at the sudden transition back into reality.

"Hey Katniss" I say, trying hard at a smile. Her brown hair sits in a braid, blending into a tree behind her. Her grey eyes questioning me. Next to her is a shorter girl with satiny dark skin which I have come to know of as: Rue. "Hey Rue"

"What's wrong with you?" She asks, deeming my smile obviously fake. That's when I remember… she doesn't know anything about Peeta. She doesn't know he is a no good liar just like Glimmer. _She has the right to know._

"It's Glimmer"

"She's your blonde girlfriend right?" Rue asks.

"Was" I correct.

"What happened?" Katniss asks, curiously.

"I walked in on her making out with Peeta" I manage in one breath. My eyes watch her for some type of disappointment, some type of heart break, anything. The reaction given however isn't sadness or depression of any lengths, instead it is a chuckling laugh. I meet her with a questioning gaze. "What's so funny about that?"

"Everything!" She laughs. "Just the whole concept of Peeta making out with a career" Her laugh picks up, reaching a state of hysteria. Rue stifles a smirk.

"I'm not joking Katniss!" I protest, but am only met by more hysterics and the shaking of her head.

"That's hilarious Cato" She manages, in between her laughter. "You should become a comedian" I give her a moment, to calm down and slide out of her state of endorsed euphoria. _A rather long moment at that._

"Why won't you believe me Katniss?" I try again, as her laughter has come to a halt and she wipes away the tears of mirth.

"Well, sorry to put this blatantly, but you're a career. Peeta, is from my district. Careers are known to use trickery and deception if it means they have a higher chance of winning. And besides, I have never seen Peeta with a girl before. Not once. You understand?" _Deception and trickery? _Well that's like a punch to my stomach.

"Okay you believe what you want to believe, but I saw it"

"Mmhm. Anyways, what do you want?" She says, resulting back into her serious self.

"Nothing really. I just needed to get a break. You're the closest thing to that now"

"Now?" She asks, eyebrow raised.

"Look, never mind. Do you want to go for a walk? I need to get my blood pumping again."

"Okay… but first spill" _Damn this girl is stubborn… why can't she just let some things be? _I let out an angered sigh. I had already promised myself to lock the information away and not look at it again, but staring at Katniss now, she makes me just want to tell her everything, she makes me want to crumble and spill every little detail of my life. Despite the hard effort to keep my guard up the wall disintegrates at her touch.

"Clove's dead" I grimace. "She was my first friend" My eyes fall to the ground, unable to stare into the grey orbs which no doubt stare into my head.

"The district two girl?" Rue asks. I sadly nod my head. "When?"

"Yesterday… in a land slide"

"Cato...?" Katniss asks. I lift my head back up, my eyes trapped in the snare of the greyness. "There were no deaths yesterday" Disbelief grows in my mind. I swear my eyes widen twice in size.

"That's impossible though… everyone told me she died!" I shout, partly from distrust and partly from the thought of being lied to by everyone.

"Well did you actually see the daily report at the end of last night?" I shake my head, still trapped in my state of incredulity._ Is it true? Could Clove really be alive?_ I stare at Katniss, analysing her words inside my head. Her face does not betray her words; her expression is as solemn as ever. One lone thought makes its way into my mind: _What reason would she have to lie to me?_ And just like that I buy the words from the girl on fire.

My face lightens all at once. Both Katniss and Rue recognize it and slowly follow my lead, allowing the emotion to spread like wildfire.

"Thank you" I whisper. I'm not sure if she hears me or not, but she doesn't respond on the matter.

"Now… how about that walk?" She asks. It makes me laugh. I've already forgotten about the poor happenings which had occurred earlier today.

* * *

We walk further through the jungle, Katniss has demanded for me and Rue to walk quietly. She has decided to take her bow and arrows. Decided it would be a good chance to hunt. She takes one arrow from her quiver and loads her bow, gracefully. It reminds me of Glimmer… I shake the thought out of my head. I have to forget about her. She is my enemy now.

"Wait… is that Glimmer's bow?" I ask.

"It was… now shush you are scaring away the prey" The last time that I had seen the bow was when we had trapped Katniss in the tree, and she had thrown the tracker jackers down at us. _Glimmer must have dropped it in the chaos… _

I look over to Rue, who is jumping from tree to tree. You would think that it would create more noise than walking, but she does it with such elegance that no sound is produced. Not even a rustling of leaves as she leaps from branch to branch.

A sudden movement occurs out of the corner of my eye and as I turn to it I am just in time to see the groosling skewered, through the eye. My mouth falls agape.

"So… this is how you got your eleven?" I ask.

"I don't think I'm allowed to tell you… isn't it confidential or something? And besides a magician never revels their secrets" She sends an infamous smirk at me.

"Whatever, I didn't want to know anyways" I say playfully, trying for a scornful twelve-year-old attitude. "I'm sure I could best it" I say, my grip tightening around my sword.

"The game makers didn't seem to think so…" She derides, poking her tongue out for emphasis. I send her a playful glare. Snickers from the trees above meet my ears.

"You both just watch and see…"

"Well there's another groosling just ahead, go on show us your failure so we can watch your arrogance miscarry you… maybe that will shrink your massive ego of yours" Katniss laughs.

I move forward with the bird in my sight. Its head is turned away, its feathers standing on edge, looking ready to fly into the daylight. My muscles tense and I push them to run toward the bird. As I near the bird inch by inch, the bird takes off as I am only a couple of metres away. This causes laughter from my two companions.

"Come back here you stupid bird" I whisper under my breath. As if in answer the bird lands a few metres away. "Good bird…" I leap at it and try again. Only for it to take flight… again. This only causes more hysterics from the pair behind me. Rue is laughing so much that I worry that she may fall out of the tree she is in. The groosling, as if making a game of the cat and mouse chase, lands a few more metres in front of me. And once again I fall for the trap, both the lure and catch.

The hysteria has climaxed, I hadn't even known that was possible to reach that level. I turn back and look at the two. Katniss is now raising the bow; despite her laughter she holds it firmly and strong. The arrow leaves the bow and hits the bird's neck as it is in mid-air. The body quickly turns stiff and plummets to the ground a few metres ahead of me. I reach out and grab the cadaver. When I turn back to the two they only laugh more. It takes me a moment to realise that I am blushing at the thought of being bested by a bird on national television.

"Let's just keep walking" I say angrily, as I turn away from the laughing two and push ahead. I know they are following me by the chuckles nearing on me. I turn around and chuck her the bird, which manages to hit Katniss in the face. Now it is my turn to laugh. A lone feather hangs from her hair. This has taken the mirth of her face and replaced it with a widened mouth. To the right of her, Rue giggles away.

"What are you laughing about?" She says looking at Rue. Katniss whacks Rue playfully on the back of her head with the bird. I chuckle over the scene taking place in front of me. Four feathers take rest in her dark hair.

After some time later, we finally manage to continue with our walk, but if I was to be truthful, we were definitely still high off our states of euphoria. Katniss has decided to take us to a small pond.

"See this?" She says as she touches what looks like a casual leafy green plant. I nod, curious to see where this is going. "Well this is a Katniss plant. It's what my dad named me after. They grow potatoes in the roots" She says as she plucks one up from the ground, revealing a brown dirty potato. "They are just like any other potatoes, you can cook them and bam you have a nice little meal for yourself"

"So as long as you can find yourself you will never starve" I laugh.

"That's what my father used to say to me…" She says, falling into a sudden mood change.

"Used to?" I ask.

"He was killed in a mining incident"

"Oh. I'm sorry" Is all I can manage.

"No I'm sorry; I shouldn't have brought it up. Anyways… you guys want to help me make a fire?" Rue and I both nod. "Okay, help me find some twigs and dead leaves. We'll slowly build the size up" And just like that we were all off, doing our little part to help.

After we had gathered a reasonable load of sticks and leaves we circled around it.

"Okay so how do we start the fire?" I ask, feeling ignorant.

"Cato, can you rip off some bark of that cypress tree over there?" Katniss asks. I nod and do as she asks. As soon as I give her the bark she gets straight to it. She grabs a stick and uses it as a spindle as she spins it on top of the bark aggressively. Five minutes pass before she reaches her first ember… and before I know it the fire has caught hold of the wood. "I just wish we had a pot to boil the Katniss in…" And in response the familiar beeping of a sponsor's gift arrives. Rue smiles as she goes and grabs it, bringing over a pot to Katniss. "Thank you!" She says greedily as she goes over to the pond to fill it with water. As she is doing so she slips and falls in the water… which is surprisingly deeper than it looks. This brings back the state of euphoria for Rue and I…

Despite the hilarity of it all, I walk over and offer my hand to help her up. With a sly grin she grabs it and pulls me down toward the water. I fall in rather ungracefully. _Remind me never to offer a hand to a girl who has fallen down, ever again…_ She falls into hysterics. I pick myself up until I am standing waist deep. She is already getting out of the water when I wipe away the water from my eyes. I accept the challenge…

I rush at her, and tackle her down on a rather muddy bank. The mud squelches underneath her as I push onto her. She is laughing and so am I. The remaining light of the day is slowly disappearing, granting us an orange glow. The water left on my face drips down onto hers.

"I'm sure your dad is proud of you" I whisper. The temperature is rapidly dropping and I can feel myself involuntarily shiver. The water isn't helping. As I look down to her face I can see a small smile spread, making the tips of her lips curve upwards. I can smell the strong scent of flower pollen in the air, pushing against my nose for entry.

"Thank you" She whispers, so quietly that it could be mistaken for chatter in a graveyard. Her grey eyes have never looked so full of life. I can hear and feel every single placid breath of hers. The rhythmic sound is soothing. I can feel her heart racing under me; quickly pulsating. In this moment, no one is here. Not the whole of Panem, not the game makers and not even Rue. We are locked in our own tranquil world. A world of serenity and gentle smiles. A world where it is full whilst completely empty of people. Everyone except us. My heart picks up speed, until it is as fast as a streaming river. Her lips mock me, with their distance in between mine. There is nothing more I want than to reach out and connect our lips but I can't make myself. I can't do it. It isn't right… after everything that has happened with Glimmer. I am about to turn away when she leans in, eyes closed. I join her, my eyes closed and our lips make contact. The sensation is strangely familiar but all at the same time completely different to anything I have ever experienced. Her lips feel as smooth as silk against mine. Our lips break, but now that I have had a taste of the addicting drug I yearn for more. My lips meet hers again and I am in a remote state of a blend between ecstasy and euphoria which sends goosebumps down my back.

"Get a room" Rue says in the background. This seems to bring Katniss back to her senses. Our lips break for the last time.

"I'm sorry… I can't do this" She says, as I get off of her. "I think you should go now" Her words pierce me like a spear in the heart.

"Okay. Bye Katniss. Goodbye Rue" I manage whilst keeping my voice at a normal pitch. Rue sends Katniss a questioning stare.

* * *

As I get back to camp, there is no sign of Peeta and Glimmer; thankfully. I feel too broken to break anyone else at the moment. I reach Marvel at the fire.

"Hey you know where Peeta and Glim are?"

"Shut up Marvel! No one cares. Good night" I shout. I know I am indirectly channelling my frustration at him but I can't help it. I need some form of release.

I reach the tent, taking only a moment to lay myself down, never feeling so grateful for sleep. For the opportunity to get away from reality, to leave it all behind.

* * *

Sunlight finally comes, and sadly sleep finally wares off, leaving me to the wrath of the conscious._ What if I talk to Katniss? She might at least let me understand why she feels that way._ Feeling hopeful I pick myself up and crawl out of my tent. _I should probably notify Marvel…_ I reach his tent and poke my head in, only to be greeted by the floor of the tent and more canvas.

I check the fire, but he is not there either. _He's probably hunting…_ I start on my way to the pond, where I last saw Katniss and Rue, half-expecting for them to have stayed the night there. As I get there I am greeted only by the embers of a long lost fire. _They're not here… maybe they're also hunting?_ My thoughts are cut, by the squealing cry of a girl.

"Katniss!" _Rue. She is in trouble._ I hold my sword tightly and run. I have to get there. I have to help her. I promised nothing would happen to Rue. _I had promised._ "Katniss! Help! Please!" The screaming is getting more and more desperate by every passing moment. I push myself faster and faster. That's when I see it: the spear thrown by Marvel; the spear which enters Rue's body. I am behind Marvel, he hasn't seen me yet. My hand clenches around my sword. _I told her nothing would happen to Rue. I promised._ Anger boils inside of me. _I had promised._ I had broken my promise and because of it Rue was dead. My heart starts racing and adrenaline is pumped into my veins by the bucket load. Knowing there is nothing I can do to help Rue; I do the only other thing I can think of…

I stab Marvel. The sword penetrates his chest cleanly. He has one moment left of life, where he turns his head to look at me before his body goes stiff. He is dead. The boy falls to his knees and I cannot bear to take the sword out of him so I leave it there. Katniss is now sitting by Rue singing. Her voice is beautiful and melodic, but I can pay no attention to the beauty because before me Rue is dying.

I join Katniss by Rue. One of her hands lay in Katniss's hand and the other I grab, clamping tightly. Tears are forming in Katniss's eyes as she sings and I feel the same light stinging sensation happening to me. I suddenly wish I hadn't volunteered. I suddenly wish that the Hunger Games had never occurred. I find myself resenting not only Snow, but all of the Capitol citizens who cheer on the cruelty and even place bets on who will die first. I finally understand the pain involved.

Rue's body quivers slightly until it comes to a halt. She's dead. Katniss gently pulls her eyelids down over her eyes.

"I'm sorry Rue"


	18. Family Secrets

**Chapter 18 – Family Secrets**

OOC: Finch's perspective. Oh and guys, I have set up a poll, just to see who you guys want to be the victor(s)! It's on my profile please vote!

I shiver. The night has been getting colder and colder. And what's worse is that the nights are only continuing to get cooler. I push myself out of my cave and into the night. I need to get my blood pumping, I need to get warm. I start jogging. _Maybe I'll go see Peeta._ He is my only ally now. My heart is racing fast, but I'm not sure whether that is from the exercise or from the thought of Ian no longer here.

It's funny what the darkness does to our brain. In the dark, we see things, things that aren't there. Or in my case: people; people who are no longer here. Up ahead, in front of a dark silhouette of a tree, I can vaguely make out a figure. I do not hold back pace though. I continue jogging –if not, sprinting – toward the shadow. I know who it is. _I've seen this figure too many times._ I reach the tree where the figure leans. What surprises me is that the figure hasn't left.

I can see it, or more so him, clearer now. It's Ian. I already knew that though, ever since his death I have been seeing him, more and more. I would see him off in the distance, on the verge of the horizon. I would run too him, but alas when I would get there, he would be gone, nothing left but the wind of desperation. I've been haunted by him. Too many times have I seen his death whilst asleep. Too many times I have felt his presence when gathering. Time, is taking its sweet time erasing the thoughts of him from my mind. Even though the world is teasing me with lost existence, it gives me a feeling of normalcy. It's bitterness is sweet and addictive.

"Finch…" His sweet lips conjure.

"I'm dreaming…" I whisper to myself, taking a pause to pinch myself.

"You're not dreaming"

I shake my head in disbelief. "Then I am hallucinating"

"Maybe you are" His voice is rid of all anxiety, all pain and horror. It is beautiful. Hallucination, or not, I wasn't going to hide from it.

"Which one of them killed you?" I whisper, hesitating on the word 'killed'. His hand lifts and brushes my hair, or at least I think it does. I don't know what is happening. All I know is that I am crazy.

"Finch, you already know. Why ask? You've seen it every time your eyes have closed" His words are true. Every sleep has been cursed with such thoughts, every night I've seen the boy I love killed, over and over again. Killed by a towering blonde. "It doesn't matter though Finch. You must let it go. You must let me go" I look up to the boy's face and shake my head, taking time to whisper four words.

"I don't want to"

"Goodbye Finch"

"No, please. Ian, don't leave me! Ian!" I shout. I don't want to be alone no longer. I want to be held by him, in his warming embrace. But it is too late, he is gone. "Please… don't leave me here" I whisper, falling to my knees. Tears start to fall from my eyes. "Come back…"

* * *

I wake up amongst a litter of leaves and instantly I know that last night wasn't a dream. Hallucination, probably, okay most likely, but dream… no. He confirmed his murderer to me. His words echo around my head _'you've see it every time your eyes have closed'_. The boy from two. He killed him. He killed him. He killed him. All weakness and desperation falls free from me. No longer am I controlled by grief. Instead, anger fills my body. _He killed him. He ruined it. He ruined my chance to live a happy life with Ian. This is his fault. He will pay…_

I grab my dagger, clenching my fist around the hilt. _He will pay._ I push myself up, off the ground, and don't watch the moment where the leaves fall off, gently soaring in the air, the moment I would have watched if I was not drunk off rage. I stride over to the outskirts of the forest, every step reflecting the ire inside me.

When I reach the final barrier between sanctuary and exploitation I notice smoke. Smoke over from the wheat field. _The boy from eleven._ It must be him. Who else could it be? There are only seven people left: the girl from one, both from two, me from five, the boy from eleven and Peeta and Katniss. The careers and Peeta would all be at camp, I'm here so it only leaves it to be Katniss or eleven. I don't know much about either of them but eleven is the agriculture district. He probably has himself set for the whole games with the wheat in there.

I shake my head freeing myself of the information. I'm not here for eleven, I'm here for the boy from two. I stick to the safe side of the barrier and make my way around, past the cornucopia and toward the campsite the careers have made for themselves.

I will need to make a plan, if I want to kill the boy. I know I just can't expect to run in there whilst they are all there. I will have to wait until the others leave. Or perhaps I don't. Maybe I can kill him while they are all asleep…

I can see it now: the campsite. And inside the campsite is just who I want to see: the boy from two. He is talking; I'm not bothering to listen, my eyes are searching the camp frantically, looking for movement to indicate where the others are.

"Katniss you can stay, no one is here" His words break my thought. _No one is here?_ A malicious smile finds its way onto my face. The words replay in my head. _Wait… Katniss? What is she doing here?_

"Are you definitely sure?" A tiny voice whispers, making me strain to hear.

"Yes, Marvel is dead, Peeta and Glimmer are not coming back, ever and Clove is… well, I don't know"

"I don't think this is a good idea. What if Clove come's back? What then?"

"I understand, but you would be so much warmer in a tent and safer. Look at it this way, no one in their right mind would come into a camp they think is full of careers" _They think is full of careers… _Well I happen to know; well now I do anyway.

"Okay, but have this in mind, if I see her I will shoot her. No hesitation" _Hmm that would be nice… maybe this can help me out._

"Okay, but you shouldn't have to anyway" The district two boy grabs her arm and drags the hesitant girl toward a tent. I wait a moment after they disappear into the covering, to be safe. When I am satisfied with the stillness I break my cover. I push through the lush green barrier and sprint lightly along the plain ground, rapidly closing in on the campsite. The whole time I am running, I eye the tent they disappeared into. Hoping against hope that they will stay inside. Luckily for me, they do.

I make my way to a tent that is empty. _Katniss won't be the only one to get the benefit of warmth._ I poke my head inside the tent cautiously – you never know how elaborate some traps can be – before showing a bitter sweet smile. The tent is completely empty. _It must have been Marvels or Peeta's…_ I wonder how Peeta is… I hope he is safe. I let out a small sigh before I sneak into one of the other tents before returning to the same tent with a sleeping bag. _At least now, I won't freeze to death._ As I am setting out the sleeping bag I notice something in the corner of the tent. At first glance all I see is wooden bark. Then I see the colour. Curious, I pick up the wood: _words_. As I read the sentence my fingers slide over the sandpaper-like surface.

**Peeta, I'm fine – Katniss**

So this was Peeta's tent. And Katniss has been here before. I gently put down the wood and slide into (now) my sleeping bag. I know they will not find me here. He would never guess that a tribute would risk venturing into such perilous waters. It's the last place they would expect me.

As my eyelids flick close I am wondering about Katniss. Is she double crossing Cato with Peeta? Or is she double crossing Peeta with Cato? Is this all part of her elaborate scheme? Those questions soon dissipate into thin air and replacing it is not her potential craftiness but instead her connection… with Peeta. Is it possible that the whole star cross lovers a hoax? Or are they really in love? My mind goes over both their profiles (well what I know of them anyways), and comes to a decision: they aren't right for each other. It must be a hoax. Peeta is so kind, considerate and willing to stand up for what he believes in. She on the other hand appears to be hostile and quiet. Her stage appearance as a giggling innocent girl doesn't fool me. She is hiding a whole identity beneath her. Then there is the boy from district two. He is aggressive, vulgar, cruel, merciless and a killing machine. He has no emotions. The word machine matches quite nicely for him…

Clove, what about Clove? A quiet, placid skilled girl who can kill in a second. I will definitely have to be extra cautious with her. All I can hope for is her arrival to be her demise, to hope that Katniss will shoot her through her heart and she will hit the ground before her brain even registers she is hit.

The girl from one, Glimmer I believe, shows an attitude rather like what Katniss portrayed on stage. She is a girly girl, with a passion for blood. Despite her bubbliness, I know she is deceitful.

Then there is Thresh, the unknown identity. I know nothing about him but his appearance. Based on that, I know he has the potential to break one's neck in an instant and I know that he could knock a person unconscious with just one blow to the head. I shake my head, ridding myself of the thoughts. I shouldn't be bothering about analysing my competitors at the moment. I need sleep. _There will be time to another day._ I hope.

My brain is kicked into survival mode, it knows I need sleep, I can't afford to be tired. Not out here. As if by desire of my brain, I am sleep. I depart from the waking world and make my way into the subconscious…

_I am running. Where to? The cornucopia. My feet are padding gently on the ground and my heart is beating heavily on my chest. __**Boom-Boom**__. __**Boom-Boom**__. __**Boom-Boom.**__ One word is going through my head, over and over again: Ian, Ian, Ian…_ _I'm getting closer now. The green shrubbery is becoming sparser and sparser. __**BANG!**_

"_Ian!" I scream out. "Ian!" I keep running. I'm hoping against hope that when I get there he will be standing there in one piece; safe and strong. I'm hoping that he will be able to hold me in his arms and whisper to me sweet lullabies of peace and security. _

_I break through the vision of sight. I can see him now. His neck is bent at an unnatural angle. And standing over him is the towering blonde. How can he take away everything I care about in one movement without any concern, without any emotion? He stands over him like it's an achievement like it's a breakthrough in technology. Fuelled by the fumes of hate and anger I charge at the boy. I don't care that the Careers are surrounding him. I just need to take him down, and then I can fall. I grab my dagger from my pocket and am about to plunge it into his chest when…_

I am woken by the talk from my camping neighbours.

"I can't do this! I'm sorry but I can't do this" Katniss's voice ruptures the air like a sonic boom.

"Why? You were the one who started it! You tried to kiss me first" _So this is Katniss. This is her true colours. _I take a moment to understand the concept of this all. She was romantically involved with him?

"Because I like Peeta!" She shouts.

"I told you already! He is fucking Glimmer! He is with my double crossing ex!" If I thought the last one surprised me, than this unexpected news almost knocked me into a confused-dazed coma. Could it really be true? Could Peeta really be having sex with her? I know he has a thing with her and all, but are they really up to that already?

"So this is why you are lying to me is it? To get me to yourself?!"

"No! I do like you in that way, but I'm not lying to you!"

"Goodbye Cato. Our alliance is over, so don't bother following me because I will shoot you. Please don't make me have too"

"But Katniss…"

"Please Cato, don't make me shoot you" I can hear footsteps pass my tent followed by an anguished roar which can only be from Cato. I don't know what to make of this whole epidemic. It however doesn't lessen my pure hatred for the boy. I pick up my dagger and finger the point. The sharp metallic feel brings blood to my skin. I am about to get up, when I hear more footsteps. _Katniss?_ No the tread is much heavier, but lighter than Cato's.

"Clove, you're back!" _Clove? She's here? Now? _

"Yeah, now where did she go?"

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb with me, where is district twelve girl?" _This is going to be more interesting than I thought…_

"Why are you asking me?"

"I heard her Cato. Tell me"

"I haven't seen her since the first day in the games" The lie sounds fairly convincing, but that means nothing to her.

"Cato! Why are you lying to me?" She snaps.

"If anyone is a fucking liar it's you! You told me she loved me! You looked at me right in the eye and told me she loved me!" He bellows back at her. The atmosphere between them has suddenly changed.

"Look, Cato I don't know what happened between you two, but I'm sorry" She says her voice quietened and more sympathetic.

"Words are nothing but empty air you know that as well as I do" His voice is no longer an aggressive roaring drone but instead a sorrowful rue.

"Where are the others?"

"Who fucking cares! They are nothing but traitors!" His roar, growling back into place, as if it had never even left.

"I fucking do!" She bites back.

"I kicked them out! They're lucky they even got that. They deserved to die and still do!"

"You kicked them out?! You don't have the damn right to do that! In your own arrogant head you may see yourself as the leader, but you're not! Take a darn step back from the top spot, maybe you will then you will see your own foolish self for who you are!"

"Oh get lost Clove! You abandoned us! You left and didn't come back until now!"

"I was under a fucking landslide! Wow. No, goodbye Cato. I'm going to hunt down Katniss and after I'm done with here I'm not coming back. Goodbye" I hear the footsteps retreat, followed by a rustling, which I presume is the tent door.

"Yeah, go on run. Abandon me again!" The door rustles again.

"You really are a jerk" I can hear loud thudding, what I assume to be her stomping.

"And you really are a bitch" Clove's steps are soon no longer audible. _She is gone._ I believe Cato just came to realise that as well, because he roars out an angry blur of distress. Unlike him though, I am happy for her departure. I can finally put plans into action.

I wait a solid ten minutes before I move just to confirm her disappearance. After I am satisfied with the quiet I make my first move. I cut a small hole in the side of the tent, with trembling hands to allow me see where the blonde is. There is no movement. Nothing but darkness and the fractured light offered by the moon. _Where was he?_ As if on cue, I see a tent, not too far away rustle. _There is my target. _Adrenaline finally kicks in once I realize what I am going to do. My hands are trembling like the last leaf in autumn. I force myself to move though, I have to go through with this. _I have to avenge Ian_.

I crawl out of the tent, after double checking my surroundings, hand still fastened on the dagger's hilt. I push myself off the cold hard ground and make my way to Cato's tent, one slow fearful step at a time. This is the moment when I stand up to face fear itself. I have only ever came across this moment once before. _With my parents._ I push the thought out of my head. The last thing I need is more horror right now.

I stand, at his tent door, heart beat racing like a bullet. _I can't do this. _My hand trembles and almost drops the knife. _Snap out of it, you must._ I take a silent breath, as I was afraid to make any noise. **Boom-Boom**.** Boom-Boom**. **Boom-Boom**. I close my eyes and lower myself to the floor. I shake my head. _I-I-I ca-can't do this_.Oh great, I was starting to even stutter in my own mind. _You have to. Everything has come to this._ I force myself through the tent's door with my dagger raised and prepared to strike. The first thing that greets me is his eyes. His blue lifeless eyes. They show no fear, only malice. It's like they are dead already.

I jump at him, my instincts taking control. I go to plunge the dagger into his chest, to finish it there and then but he pushes me back and I am sent tumbling into the canvas wall. I shake my head, to push the auburn hair out of my eyes and charge at the boy again. I slice his arm as he grabs mine, which holds the knife. He winces but other than that, takes no notice of the cut. I struggle against his iron grip but make no release. With my left hand I tense it and strike his face. The hit takes him by surprise and he loosens his hold for only a moment. But that is all I need. I quickly yank it away before leaning in to slice his neck and end his existence. The boy dodges just in time and elbows me in the face, causing me to fall backward. I land on my back and only just have time to roll out of the way before he pins me. After I roll, I hit his leg with the knife, as a stab. The dagger goes in, up to its hilt. The boy lets out a blood-curling yell before he snarls at me. I push myself up off the ground and am about to pull out the dagger when his fist finds his way to my gut, releasing all my stored air.

I double over, gasping for air. The boy takes advantage of my time of weakness and pins me down, resting each knee on one of my arms and sits over my waist. He pulls the dagger out with another loud yelp before throwing it to the ground. His mouth twists into a wry smile before he talks.

"I killed your pathetic little ally, and now I'm going to kill you" I scowl at the guy. "Ian was his name wasn't it?" My fists tense. Ian's name just sounds wrong coming from his lips.

"You bastard!" I shout, as I squirm underneath his weight desperately, only to no avail.

"Actually, I've got a better idea" His hands greedily unzip my jacket.

"Don't you dare touch me!" I shout uselessly. He only smiles at my demand before he slides off my jacket. "Get the hell off of me!" He literally rips my shirt down the middle, exposing my bra and stomach. I wriggle with all my might, trying desperately to escape from this horror but he has me too tight. His hands hungrily unlatch my bra, leaving my breasts disclosed and at his will. My eyes blink. I can't believe this is happening again. I've spent so many years trying to escape from this horror only to end back here. When I open my eyes I no longer see Cato's blonde hair and blue eyes but instead a set of brown hair accompanied by a pair of light green eyes. I am no longer in the seventy-fifth hunger games but instead I am nine years old at home…

"_Please! Don't!" I screamed as his hands scavenged my body, rubbing against my smooth skin with his callused hands. I already know that no matter how much I beg and plead he will not let me go. He has done this to me so many times now. "Dad! Please stop!" I cry as he removes my pyjama pants. He always removed them last after he would touch my torso up and down._

"Please Cato don't!" I say, resulting back into weakness and pleading. He is removing my trousers.

"You're breasts are so small" He mutters, obviously too drunk in desire to hear me. That was something my father always said to me as he had his way with me.

_He slowly slid off my pyjama pants, taking time to control his desire, after he removed them from my legs he quickly threw them, just like he did every time. His hands rub up my legs, bullying them with the pure roughness portrayed. Then, he reaches my underwear. _

"_Please Dad!" His hands linger, rubbing my skin through the underwear as he always did._

Cato's hands trace along my bare legs over and over again before he reaches my underwear. He smiles giddily to himself. That's when I notice his growing member, pushing against his shorts eager for release. "Please Cato!"

_My father ignores me and pulls down my underwear to my ankles in one quick movement. His mind is no longer here, it is lost in the never-changing tides of rapture, himself just becoming another submissive servant to please it. He takes off his clothes as quick as a heartbeat, to join me in my naked state. His member growing rapidly._

Cato's ravishment continues as he pulls of his shirt, revealing his muscular eight pack. Next he takes off his shorts, as he still manages to hold me down, stripping down to his white briefs, his member protruding strongly against the thin white fabric, constricting the fabric. With one quick movement he is fully naked. His knees still on my arms and his butt on my waist he has his meat dangling in my face.

"_Mum! Help!" I scream pointlessly._

"_She won't help you" I know his words are true. But I hope against hope they are wrong. I keep my eyes on the doorway. As if on cue, she appears. _

"_Please Mum!" I yell. She meets me with a blank look on her face before continuing to walk by. I feel so helpless. My composure finally gives into the horror and tears stain my face. That's when he enters me. I can feel him inside. He is moaning in pleasure as he quickens his pace before finally shooting a jet of sticky substance inside of me. _

_He lies on top of me for a moment, before getting up, putting his clothes back on and walking out like nothing ever happened. I curl myself up into a ball and cry. I don't know how long I cry for but when I stop the moon is high in the sky._

Cato looks dominantly at me. He knows he has me trapped; he has me at his pleasure. I shiver at the mere thought. I try to wriggle my way out again, but once again there is no use.

"Don't bother, you're not going to escape" He whispers. And as if to improve his authority over me he slaps me in the face with his member. I want to break down. I want to cry. _No. I'm not giving into my emotions. I am no longer nine years old._ He grabs some rope from the side of him and ties my hands behind my back, allowing him to move more freely over my body.

He pushes his chest against mine and pecks me lightly on the lips before shoving his tongue in forcefully. On instinct I bite it; hard.

"You bitch" He shouts as he pulls my hair on my head. I scream in pain. "I suggest you don't do any more of that" He slaps me a few more times with his member before he lowers his crotch to my hips. That's when I know he's inside. His cock pulses against my inside, feeling foreign and wrong. He is starting to pick pace when I notice the rope around my hands is loose. I play with twist and turn them trying desperately to get it off. To hope that God has seen my struggle, and has given me mercy. The boy on top of me does not seem to notice my squirming; he just like my father years ago is drunk on ecstasy and rapture. His pace is only quickening, and he is covered in a thin layer of sweat, tiny droplets fall from his nose onto my cheeks. The feel is so repulsive that I just want to jump into a hot bathtub and wash away his pheromones. All of a sudden my hands come undone. They are free. I keep them underneath me, as I figure out a plan in my head, as to not alert him. Faster and faster his body goes, in, out, in, out he goes as if stuck in a continuous cycle. That's when I see it. The glistening silver of the dagger.

It rests not too far away, still in an easy grab range. The blade is covered in drying blood from his leg. Cato is now starting to moan, louder and louder. His sweat now dripping rapidly off him, soaking me in it. I am about to try and grab the dagger when I feel him shooting his load inside of me. I can feel the sticky substance firing into me, filling me with his cream. That's when I know it is now or never. He will kill me straight after he is done with me.

I remove my right hand from my back and grab the dagger, quickly. He hasn't noticed me yet. He is too busy firing his load. I bring the dagger toward his chest as quickly as possible, the whole time watching his eyes. The boy only manages to register what is happening just as the point of the knife makes contact with the left side of his chest. All desire is wiped from his face as I make the final plunge. Cato falls off of me. But I hear no cannon, so I stab him a few more times, covering myself in his not only his sweat but blood too. **BANG!**

And just like that Cato was dead.

As I put on my clothes I think back to my eleventh birthday.

I was coming home from school, but didn't want to go home. I knew that Dad would be waiting there for me, by the door ready for action, just like any other day. He had been like this since my mother went into her depressed state. The week after my eighth birthday saw the death of my mother's mother. She had always been very close with her. We had her over for dinner every third day. That's why it was such a shock when she passed away. My mother didn't talk and basically became oblivious to the world. Even to her husband and daughter. After seven months my dad was sick of trying. He gave up on her. In fact he hated her for forsaking him and leaving him. He grew depressed and horny; he refused to touch his wife because he hated her so. So instead, he went after the next best thing: me.

I decided my birthday present this year would be the gift of no more fear. I was going to run. But I knew dad would have kidnapped another young girl he could use to abuse. He was so long gone that he probably thought nothing mattered anymore. So in order to prevent this I started a fire. I burned down the house with my parents in it. But I had already told myself that these two people, weren't my parents nor even people. They were things. My mother would never leave me in a world where a father can touch a young girl in such manner and my father never would have raped me.

So I killed them both.

* * *

OOC: Reminder: **Go vote in my poll on my profile page for who you want to see as your victor(s)! **Thankyou my very awesome readers for reviewing! It makes me so happy to see that people care enough to review you guys rock :') Oh and i'm sorry for the people who aren't into smut, I hope this chapter isn't to disturbing with the rape issue. And I have reached over 60,000 words now! WOO!  
Dragonmaster1296 - Yep, now there is only six. Haha, sorry then for the CatoXKatniss :P But at least for your sake it is over =)  
Hufflepufficus - Awesome! That is what I love to hear! Well I'm not really sure about Thresh, but something may occur with him. Maybe even if it is only a very minor minor part like in the actual hunger games =) As you can see Finch's story wasn't over yet. She is a main character, but then again so was Cato and now he's dead... so I'm not sure what will happen next XD I guess I will have to play it one sentence at a time. I'm sorry for making you wait so long!  
MicrowavedBeaver- This review gave me an awesome tingly happy feel! No joke. XD Thanks so much! I will try to update soon! And I will check out your story when I can! I'm so delighted that you asked me =D !


	19. More Decisions

**Chapter 19 – More Decisions**

(OOC: Peeta's POV)

My feet crunch against the ground heavily. The past few days have been hard. Glimmer and I, after we were kicked out of the group by Cato we have found a small cave by the river. It is just big enough so that the two of us can squeeze in. Even though the ground is more of a mush than a ground I am happy to just have shelter. It's one less thing we have to worry about. Now all I worry about is food, water, Katniss Clove and Finch. We have been lucky enough to get sponsors to have sent us food and water, just enough so we are no longer constantly starving.

I know Clove is dead, but I can't help but worry for her. Does that make sense? No, probably not. I'm not sure what happens after death, but I am certain there is something. How could there not be? I just hope she is happy wherever she has gone. Glimmer sympathises with me, and hopes her the best as well. My mind has replayed the events of that day over and over in my mind. _We were there, sitting on the bank. _I can still see the flowers in my head. I can still see the sweet disposition of every single petal and every, single, bit of her; every perfect strand of hair which swayed in the sweet zephyr. I can still see every freckle which lay on her face. I can still see the split second smile she would accidently show before hiding it underneath her mask of solemness.

I didn't see the sky that night. Now, I wish I had. I wish I had seen her face one last time.

It was long dark by now. Glimmer was away in the cave, wrapped up in one of the sleeping bags we had taken. I'm thankful we had taken them; we would have frozen without them. But I'm not in the cave. I'm not there with her. Instead here I am, in the freezing cold air of the night walking. I should be with her right now, not here. I should be holding her warm body in my arms, I should be feeling the beating of her heart against mine and I should be greeted to her beautiful face when my eyes flick open. Yet I am here. Anxiety has built up inside me and has forced me outside of my warm sanctuary, now here I am, wandering the forest still awake at an hour where I should certainly be asleep at.

I'm starting to consider the actual chance of going home. There are only six people. It's not impossible anymore. Just as I am lost in thought I am brought back to the awaking world by the distinctive sounding of a cannon. **BANG!**

My mind goes into a frenzy of worry. Who could have died? There are only, _were only_, six people. It wasn't me, and Glimmer is safe and sound asleep. That only leaves: Cato, Thresh, Finch or Katniss. I shudder. I do not like the odds of it being Katniss or Finch. Katniss is skilled; she could take a target out from ages away. But she is stubborn and will not run unless she sees it as absolutely necessary, and even then it may be too late. Finch on the other hand, she is agile and will never run into somewhere she may believe to be a good ambush position. But… if someone did take her by surprise they wouldn't have trouble killing her. She is frail and inexperienced with any type of combat. _Please be okay. Katniss, Finch be alive please._

I know it is a stupid wish. I won't be able to get out of here alive with Glimmer, Katniss and Finch. So why do I prolong this torture? I am brought back, once again, by the sound of footsteps, careless speeding footsteps._ Coming right for me._ If I was smart, I would run. If I was smart I would hide. I wouldn't be standing in the middle of the open like what am I doing at the moment. I can't though. I can't force any movement. I am bound to the ground by some unseen force; perhaps my unease. That's when I see it. It. That's right. It is too dark and too far away for me to be sure of its gender. The gloomy silhouette is getting closer and closer. And yet I still cannot force any sort of movement. As it moves closer features start to become clearer. I recognize a set of bluey green eyes, a slender nose all complimented by flowing long hair; auburn hair.

"Finch" I whisper to myself. The girl has either not seen me or didn't move in time, she crashes into me and brings me to the ground with her shortly after. "I'm so glad you are okay" _Katniss. It could still be her…_

"Peeta!" She cries. I look up to her face, as I take her lead and stand back up. That's when I notice her face is streamed with tears… and blood. Her hair isn't flowing as it usually does. Instead, I realize that it is matted with blood.

"Finch… what happened? Are you alright?" Concern for her takes hold of me and I forget about Katniss. "Who did this to you?"

She tells me everything. Every single detail. She tells me about Cato raping her and her abuse she suffered when she was a child. She told me how she had lit the flames on her own house and had scorched her parents on her birthday. She told me about how she had managed to reach the dagger and plunge it into his heart. She even tells me about her love for Ian and his death being the martyr for her killing. She tells me everything. Now I understand why she didn't want to talk about her family.

"Being in that situation just brought back those memories of my father's sexual abuse. And I didn't want to go back there. I didn't want to remember. All my life I have thought that if I just pretend like nothing had happened… nothing had happened" I feel so sorry for this girl. How many times do people need to break her before they realise she is in pain? My arms wrap around the girl in a comforting embrace. I didn't want to watch her suffer. But how do you mend a broken heart?

"I'm so sorry for everything Finch… you deserve so much more in this world" I whisper into her ear as I meticulously rub her back as I hug the girl. The embrace is soon lost as our arms fall away from one another. She looks at me with a weak smile. I reflect her expression. "Just hang in here Finch, you can still do this" Her smile turns more genuine and as a result mine does too. Her eyes lock onto mine, capturing the hold of them, making it impossible for me too look away even if I wanted to. Not that I do. Inside her eyes I can see the torment which grasps her, I can see the chains which hold her and I can see… me. Her breathing is slow and heavy; I can feel the warmth from every breath pushing against my face, warming it, fighting against the icy tendrils of the night and winning. My breaths are still and just as loud as hers. Every breath I take draws in a scent of blood mixed with relief. It is strange but arousing. She leans in and kisses me lightly on the lips, where hers linger for a moment or two. Her lips slowly retreat from mine before she opens her eyes and stare into mine as if waiting for a response.

"Finch… you like me?" I stutter in disbelief. In response, she applies her lips to mine again. Her lips cool against mine, but not cold. When her lips separate from mine they open in speech.

"I'm sorry Peeta. I know it's not right of me to put you into this kind of situation when you're with Glimmer" She hesitates, showing just the right amount of nervousness. "It's just… I had to do that at least once" Her eyes part from mine and quickly scan the bucolic surroundings. "Bye Peeta" She turns and leaves, sprinting off into the distance.

"Finch!" I shout after her. But I know it is no use. She is gone. But I know that this will not be the last time I see the girl. _Finch likes me... _An unsightly though mocks me in the back of my head: what if she is just playing me? What if she is just using me so she can stand a better chance in the games? The new rule permits two tributes can only win if they are thought to have a special connection. I shake my head and rid myself of the hideous thoughts. No, there was no way she was using me. Her voice behind her words was far too veritable to be counterfeit. But I know for sure, that this was not going to make things easier. Glimmer, Katniss and Finch? How do I control that? I like them all for different reasons. Glimmer because she is easy to talk to and get along with, Katniss because she is determined and merciful and finally Finch because she is mysterious and real with herself. Even Clove I had liked for a different reason. She was calm and poetic.

I push them out of my head, mainly because for some reason they don't seem to work together in my mind… or reality for that manner. I let out a small distressed sigh before turning around and heading back to the cave. _Cato was dead._ That's great news. Now Glimmer and I will be and feel safer than we have been for the past few days.

I enter the cave and instantly find relief in looking at Glimmer asleep and the sleeping bag next to her. I squish into my bag and look at her face for a little. _It's perfect._ A stray hair rests on her forehead. I gently move it and put it behind her ear like the rest. That's when I notice she is shivering.

My arms reach out and encase her, finding themselves behind her back. I scuttle over, closer to her, to help transact more of my body heat to her. I lightly kiss her lips before I succumb to sleep.

* * *

**BANG!** My eyes flick open instantaneously. _Someone has just died._ I unwrap my arms around Glimmer and nudge her lightly.

"Glimmer, wake up" I say absent minded as I think over who it could have been. It's not Glimmer or I, so it has to be Finch, Katniss or Thresh. My heart drops. _Oh no._ I nudge Glimmer again as I stretch. She doesn't respond. She has always been a deep sleeper. I guess in district one, they don't wake up until eleven…

My eyes widen when I realize she isn't breathing.

"Glimmer?!" My fingers find her slender wrist and check for a pulse. _Nothing. _She is dead…

* * *

I am awoken by a jabbing in my right side.

"It's okay. You're alright" She says, smiling at me. My heart starts to calm.

"I thought you were dead…" She puts her fingers through my hair and combs it.

"I'm okay" Just seeing her smile is soothing. "Now, are you hungry?" I nod my head as I stretch. "Our lovely sponsors have sent us a present" She says excitedly as she brings forward a tray of delicacies; Two buns, two soups, two apples two glasses of orange juice, two slabs of cooked fish and even two pairs of knives , spoons and forks. "These sponsors sure have taken a shining to us…" She says as she hands me a bowl of soup with the spoon already placed inside it. I graciously accept it.

"You're right… this is three days in a row" I say as I slurp the first spoonful. "Glimmer, did you hear the cannon last night?" She puts down her spoon and looks at me.

"What? Who?"

"Cato" Her mouth drops in surprise.

"Are you sure? "

"Positive"

"Wow. I can't believe it…" She mutters as she looks to the floor. "I wonder who killed him…" I open my mouth, about to respond when I remember mine and Finch's alliance is secretive. She would only ask how I knew if I responded. "There's only six people left now" My eyebrow raises.

"Five, you mean?" She blinks a few times in quick succession.

"Sorry?"

"You said six people left, you mean five… right?"

"Yeah, five" She whispers as she looks back down at her hands. I don't have to be a genius to know that something inside Glimmer clicked. Something changed her per se from the bubbly attitude usually possessed.

"Glimmer? You okay?" She nods her head blankly and continues to eat her soup in silence. _I wonder what she is thinking about…_ I go to open my mouth, to find a topic to discuss but I know just by looking at her she will not make converse. Her face is settled with a rueful plead of desperation. What it is pleading for I don't know.

I dunk my bun into the soup, soaking the liquid. It's Capitol food. It is too different to be remotely close to any districts bread work. That doesn't matter though, what matters is the picture before me: I am the bun. The soup is every girl I care about: Katniss, Clove, Finch and Glimmer. When I reach out to them, they take my grip but do not stop there. They get inside of me. Their touch, their words, their love makes me weak. It makes me soggy, and fall apart before them. So, now I am at a loss.

I need to barricade my heart. I need to strengthen it. But it doesn't matter how strong it gets, because the kindest of kisses can break the hardest of hearts.

I finish the breakfast and look over to Glimmer, who still seems to be dazed. That's when my eyes find her wrist. They are still badly bruised and I worry for her. She has told me Marvel told her that she could lose her arm, or even worse die.

"Glim, I'm going for walk, do you want to come?" I offer, looking at her posture, which is broke down and hunched.

"I think I might stay here for a little" She whispered, sorrowfully. I wave and venture out of the cave. I'm not sure what has come over Glimmer and deprived her of life, but I'm just going to guess all she needs is a little time. After all time cures everything… or so they tell me. The familiar crunch of grass greets me with the outside world. I'm not sure where I am walking to, or when I will get there but I have a vague idea that I will know when I arrive. I just needed to get out of there. The walls were threatening to crush me, holding me prisoner underneath them forever. Okay, I understand I am being completely paranoid… but you can't blame me. I'm in the hunger games. Anywhere I go could be a lethal trap, ready to dismember me at any moment. Oh and the paranoia probably has something to do with seeing Clove covered by a layer of earth…

Trees seem to get closer and close together as I walk onwards. I feel trapped inside a spooky forest, the ones with trees you would expect to find in a cemetery. I don't stop walking though. I have found walking to be a great way to get away from the world while all the same time thinking about nothing but it. Right now, I am thinking about how my family is, well not all of them. Mainly my father. No thought attached to the rest of them is good. You know how people say if you don't have anything good to say don't speak? Well I have self-taught myself to do the same with thoughts. As a result my father is the only one I allow myself to think of. He tells me how once his wife, my mother was blissful and found serenity in things. Yet he never told me what changed her. What is some cruel traumatic event which took place years and years ago? Has it been haunting her ever since?

"What are you doing going out this way Peeta?! Don't you understand it is made to look scary for a reason?!" I turn around behind me to face the auburn haired girl.

"Since when did you start following me?" I say adding a playful tinge to the words. She walks up to me and laughs.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She adds a wink, matching my playfulness. _I'm glad she is in a good mood._

Her fingers wrap around my wrist as she pulls me back toward the way I came from, I like a loyal dog follow her.

"Finch…" I start.

"Yeah?" She says, not bothering to turn around to face me.

"Last night…" She drops my wrist and stops completely, almost making me run into her.

"It's okay Peeta. I don't expect anything. I know you have a lot on your mind. You don't need me to creep up inside as well. We can just be friends" Her words show understanding and kindness.

"I appreciate that Finch, but that's not what I'm saying" She arches an eyebrow in curiosity and surprise.

"It's not?"

"No. I just really don't know what to do… I mean, I didn't know what to do before. I was torn between Glimmer and Katniss. Now, there's you. Last night was… good. It was spontaneous, it was romantic and it definitely was unexpected. I just don't know what to do. Truth is, I like all of you. I jus-"

"You like me?" She interrupts coyly

"Yes, of course" She smiles at this and blushes. It makes her look so young… so innocent. "But I don't know how to decide…" She steps forward, so she is only a step away.

"You want to know how?" She asks. I nod my head in response. She leans forward and locks her lips around mine, before retreating. "You decide… with your heart" She says as she slides her hand onto my chest, letting it rest on my heart for only a moment before sliding it away. The girl turns and sprints off into the distance.

"But how?" I whisper after her.

* * *

(OOC: I really hoped you guys liked this! Because I really loved writing this, it actually made me feel warm and fuzzy writing the ending... XD Please tell me what you guys think!  
DragonMaster1296- I totally understand where you are coming from, but I think you guys might all feel a little cheated if that happened and secondly I would have to write a fairly convincing reason at to why the President let 4/5 tributes live instead of one... you guys might be blown away by the fakeness XD  
Hufflepufficus- I am so glad it creeped you out! I don't know why, but some readers don't understand that it is actually my intention to creep people out. It makes my day a lot better =) No, i'm just joking, i'm not that messed up XD But I did want to try something new and see what affect it would have on people. I'm glad you liked it though!)


	20. The Feast

**Chapter 20 – The Feast**

(OOC: Katniss's perspective)

My body shivers. The nights have only been getting colder; _Gamemakers work I'm sure._ But, it doesn't matter what is causing the changes, only the result matters, and the result here is that I'm slowly freezing to death. One night, soon, if not tonight my brain will shut down, no longer able to have the heat to make things work. I search my head looking for a solution to this cold, but the only answer brings just another and far more serious threat. I could start a fire at the risk of no longer being incognito. The girl from one and two would just love that chance, wouldn't they?

Absent minded, I collect wood. I need to start a fire. My body needs whatever warmth it can soak. As I grab the necessary utensils for the fire my mind scans over the list of competitors. Six people left not including me._ Five_. My mind keeps pushing out the blonde haired boy, with the bulging muscles. I guess my head still can't process the thought that he is really dead. _Or my heart_. I shake my head, avoiding the poisonous words. When that fails, I push in other words to fight them.

_I left him. Not the other way. I don't love him._

_Oh, really? Well, why are you spending the late hours of the night thinking about him?_

_He was my ally! I have the right to feel sorrowful._

_Face it, you loved him, you were just scared._

_Scared? Scared?! Scared of what? I'm in the Hunger Games for crying out loud! Why would I be scared of loving someone?_

_Because you don't want to fall. You don't want to jump and rely on someone else to catch you. You're scared of the fall._

_The fall? What on earth are you talking about?_

_You do realize I am your subconscious right? You know exactly what I'm talking about. If you want to deny your feelings for him, go ahead. But you're not fooling yourself._

I sigh as the flames light; igniting all that stands in its small flickering arms. Was it possible? Could I really have loved him? Could I really have been too afraid to face it? The words sting, like salt on fresh wounds. _I turned him away, not the latter._ These are the only words I can use to reason with my disintegrating barrier of strength. _Well maybe if you didn't he would still be here today._ The words cut deep. They break something within me. My whole composure just snaps, my heart stops.

A lone tear stains my porcelain face.

_It doesn't matter though. I told Haymitch I would play the whole star-crossed lovers of district twelve angle. At least now I won't have to kill him._

Despite the words I think, it doesn't change the way I feel. Why did I turn him away?

* * *

_I stand at the edge of a mountain, feeling carefree and on top of the world. This is no ordinary mountain though. This is my mountain. The mountain back in the woods where life didn't seem so terrible, where life didn't seem so ruthless and relentless, the mountain where everything seemed perfect, where everything was harmonious. I take a deep breath, filling my lungs with the type of oxygen rich air that can only be found here, among the trees and the birds._

_My bow rests by my feet, as I lean over the edge of the mountain. Below me, is civilisation as the animals know it; above me is the sheltering blanket of puffy white clouds and blue skies. Despite the purity of the world which I feel coursing my body, empowering it with strength and grace, my feet falter. They slip off the edge, leaving me vulnerable to the crushing fall of the damned._

_That's when I feel the sturdy hands grip my wrist, holding me dangling above the trees and a ground that now, seems so far out of reach. The lock of his arm makes me feel secure and safe, even though I am aware that all it would take is a release to end my short lived life right here and now._

_The arm, pulls me up toward the edge where my feet had faltered, and toward sanctuary. He pulls me up completely, I don't even help, I am just too stunned. I push myself up off the lightly grass-covered ground, to look up into my saviour's eyes. The blue eyes pierce back at me, but not in a threatening way. It's a gentle look. It suits his facial features: the small crinkle on his forehead, the masculine chin, the slender curving nose, everything._

_My lips part, about to mutter appreciation of the boy but the words are lost in the air as his lips greet mine, smothering all vocalisation in the process. At first, I am taken back, but after the feel of the dry rough lips pushing against mine I succumb to only the kiss and nothing but the kiss. My hands snake around the back of his head, bringing him closer in the dancing embrace of our mouths._

_My lips open, just enough to bite softly on his bottom lip. His hands wrap around my waist, leaving me entangled in his arms. My mind is clouded by the rugged effect of his lips. They part, inviting so much more, I follow the boys lead, opening my mouth, just enough for his tongue to slither its way inside. Our tongues combat one another, eager to have rule over the other._

_He has a certain taste, it's almost an invisible one, but it is there nonetheless. It has the enticing essence of vanilla mixed with the tang of orange. It only makes me want this boy more._

* * *

My vision clears. I am awake. I can still see every crevice of his skin, every glistening pore in the sunlight on the mountain. I can still see… Cato. Well that settles it, I liked him. My subconscious is just clearer than my conscious, ironically enough.

Eager to push my revelation out of my mind I get up holding my bow and arrow. It's hunting time.

* * *

My boots crunch against the leaf litter. I already knew today I was going to have to take a different approach than simply tracking through the litter announcing my arrival to all prey. So instead, I find myself a good tree and climb it. _It's time to play the waiting game._

I'm not sure how long it has been, _two or three hours possibly? _But now before me at the bottom of my tree waddles a groosling, unaware of its waiting predator and inevitable fate. _Perfect._ I position my bow, taking back the string and aim. The oblivious bird lifts one wing and starts to tousle its feathers, cleaning them. That's when the arrow pierces its small head. I smile victoriously before retreating down the tree, each step a cautious one.

My hand wraps around the bird's neck, while I pull out the arrow. If Prim was here she would be having an emotional breakdown right now. She has always been more of a gatherer per se, than a hunter. I smile, it's almost like I can see her widened eyes and her pale shocked face right now. _I hope they stay strong_. I just couldn't imagine if the roles were reversed. If this was Prim, and there was absolutely nothing I could do to help her. It must be a terrible feeling…My body involuntarily shivers. I shake the dark thought out of my head. I just can't afford to think like that.

The sound of trumpets make me jump, almost dropping the bird in the process.

"Attention tributes, attention" It takes me a millisecond to get why he is talking: _the feast._ "Commencing at sunrise there will be a feast tomorrow at the cornucopia." I shake my head at the lost offer. _I can find my own food thank you very much Mr Templesmith._ I grab my knife from my pocket and prepare to skin the bird, but the voice continues to talk. "This will be no ordinary occasion… each one of you needs something desperately, and we plan to be… generous hosts" Well this definitely was a first. I scan my mind, searching for what I 'need' ever so desperately. That's when I remember last night.

"A sleeping bag…" I whisper to myself. Well, I guess that settles it. I am going back to the cornucopia. I finally finish skinning the bird when a curious thought enters my mind: _I wonder if Peeta will be there?_ After all, we are supposed to be the 'star-crossed lovers from district twelve'. I sigh, thinking about love only makes me think of one person, and that person sure as hell isn't Peeta. _Cato…_

I shake my head, once again in an attempt to clear my mind of the fog which seems determined to cloud my mind. _Cato was never part of the plan. Peeta is. I have to play this right…_

* * *

As I cook the bird I watch the fire in wonder. The dancing demons jump up at the raw bird, hoping to inhibit its soul, only to fail to breach the surface. The wild pattern of the flickering lights rest on my face, moving rhythmically to unheard music. It was peculiar how something that possessed so much beauty could be so much more parlous. As I know firsthand from only a few days ago. So much has changed from that day, yet I haven't. So many children have fallen to the imminent surrender of death. _Cato. Rue._ Yet, the only difference for me since those days is now I'm left with a bunch of grief in my heart. Apart from that and I am back to my situation I was then: alone.

I pull the bird out, double checking to see if it was fully cooked. A smile crept on to my face once I got the answer I was looking for. My knife cuts through the bird so easy, doing the only thing the demons couldn't. But, what they didn't understand is that there is no soul here for them to capture.

After cutting the bird, I grab a leg from my pile of assorted body parts which rest on a small piece of wood. My teeth sink into the meat greedily. Grease reaches my lip as I bite. The meat is so succulent and delicious I can't put it down until I have picked the bone clean, even then only to pick up the next leg.

After I have filled myself up to the very brink, I cut the breast into small parts and pocket the food for later. _That's if there is a later._ I have watched enough Hunger Games to know that feasts always result in fatalities. Who's to say that I will not be an unfortunate soul?

I cover up the flames with dirt. I watch for a moment as the demons literally disappear into thin air and along with the flames, the smoke. I plan on returning back to here after the feast, and I don't want to give away my hideaway because of a rookie mistake.

I push myself off the ground, finding solace in walking. It is a long trek to the cornucopia, so now was as good as a time to start as any. My eyes flick upward looking for the position of the sun as a guideline to the time. _It must be around four…_

For the next five to six hours my footsteps are the only sound I hear, it's as if every animal and every insect decided to run away just because I was coming. _Well I guess my street cred as a hunter is catching…_

By the time I reach the cornucopia, everything is coated in black. The only thing that seems even slightly familiar is the cornucopia which rests before my eyes. I sink down in the bushes of which I find refuge in. They are the ideal hidey-hole, no part of me should be seen; I'm _incognito_. I yawn, before laying down. No point in keeping myself awake if I can actually sleep. I'm not sure if it is my imagination or not, but it feels warmer than the previous nights. My eyes slowly close.

Dreams manage to avoid my mind for one sleep… which I am thankful for. No dreams mean no seeing him only to wake up and watch him crumble away, leaving the world of the living and me leaving the world of the content and into the darkness of despair.

I sit myself up relieved to see that it is still dark, happy not to have overslept. Though it is dark, I can see that the colour is lightening. _Sunrise…_ I train my eyes to the cornucopia, waiting for the item I so desperately need.

That's when I hear the small whirring sound of mechanical strain. My eyes focus on to the ground of the cornucopia as it falls, and reveals a metallic stand, holding six bags which range in size… and colour?

I quickly process the bags. _A pink 1, 2, 5 and 12 rest next to a blue 11 and 12. _All of the bags are around the size of a human head… _not to say that is what is inside of course. If it was I would be furious… _Two bags are the exception though. The blue eleven is at least double the size of the others, whilst the pink one is so small I can barely read the number.

That's when I see it, or more so her. A flash of auburn hair is speeding through, out of the shrubs and into plain sight, interrupting my train of thought and bringing me to focus on the situation at hand. I raise my bow to take aim at her. She has just grabbed her bag when I think it through. _Foxface is obviously not a fighter…_ I bring my bow down. _She isn't that much of a threat. I don't want to give away my position too much earlier than I have to. _Time is vital. I watch as the girl disappears back into the dense shrubbery. _I have to be the next one out…_

I have pushed myself out of the closure the shrubs offer me, revealing myself to the world. Now that I am exposed, I am not about to stop and walk. I sprint as fast as I can toward my bag, but another tribute has beaten me to the metallic stand. Her blonde hair tousled by the wind and gritted by the days. I slow down to aim my bow at her. I can't let the chance to kill a career slip by. The girl is unaware of my presence but has turned back to the green barrier, ready to sprint away. I bring the string back and just as quickly let it go.

The arrow misses due to an unseen force. I have been pushed. I look up to the assaulter and a raven haired girl with her dark brown eyes stare back at me. Her hand brings back a dagger and I know she is about to end my life.

I roll out of the way, just in time to dodge the blade as it lands a hair's length away from my nose. The shock lasts for about a second before I push myself up off the ground and load my bow. But she has already pulled her arm back with a new knife. I curse under my breath as I jump to the right, hoping it will not be too late this time.

It takes me only a split second to realize that she hit me…

I let out a blood curdling scream as I feel the pain from my leg shoot up my body. I desperately try to aim my bow before it is too late, I know I don't have much time. I start to pull back the bowstring, at the same time seeing the silver in her hand as she brings it backward. I have brought it to my chin as she is bringing her hand forward. I let the string go, closing my eyes prepared for the fatal blow.

**BANG!**

* * *

(OOC: **EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! VOTE IN THE POLL ON MY PROFILE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY! COULD POSSIBLY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE OF WHETHER YOUR FAVOURITE CHARACTER LIVES OR NOT! **Hey guys, I'm so sorry for the major cliffhanger... I hope you are all enjoying the story so far though! There are only now five tributes left... we are closing in on our victor/s! I want to really thank you guys for reviewing and showing me so much support! You are all awesome! Oh and I am so happy! This story has now reached 70,000 words!  
MicrowavedBeaver: Aww i'm really so glad you like it! On a side note please update your story ASAP! I need to know what happens! ;)  
Dragonmaster1296: I'm glad you like it, but I think I will keep it to a maximum of two victors, its just that for me, when reading the hunger games the most amazing thing was the suspense. And I definitely want to prolong that for as long as possible! ;))


	21. Another's Warmth

Chapter 21 – Another's Warmth

(OOC: Clove's POV, starts just before the cannon)

My eyes train on to the girl before me as I bring back my knife. Her arm is bringing back the loaded arrow string. I bring my arm forward, to throw the projectile, just as Katniss lets go of the string. As I am releasing the knife from the grip of my hand my balance is lost. I am pushed to the ground by an unseen force.

The arrow misses me. I look up to see Peeta. He had pushed me._ Again._ But this time is it possible that he was planning to save me? If he hadn't pushed me I would have been skewered in the brain by the metallic arrowhead. I look up into his eyes for only a moment, just so I know he is real. The last time I had seen the boy I had confessed my feelings for him, only to never get a response. Before he could tell me what he felt, if anything, I was trapped underneath a landslide. One look into those blue eyes tells me everything I need to know: _I still love him_. All I need now is for him to feel the same way…

**BANG!**

My eyes move over to Katniss, as if to verify her death, but there is nothing to verify, she is still alive. Confusion strikes like a poised cobra. _If I'm not dead… and she's not dead…_ My eyes flick over to Peeta quickly, just to make sure he is still okay. His jagged breaths let me know he is still alive._ And Peeta's not dead…_ I turn behind me, hoping to understand what has happened.

Before me, lays a dead tribute. _The district eleven boy…_ protruding from his chest is the tail of a deeply sunk arrow. Katniss had missed me, and as a result killed him. Crimson blood seeps out and stains his loose jacket. His fingers in death remain clenched, grasping desperately on to the hilt of a curved sword. _One that would have been used on me…_ If I wasn't in such a horrible situation I would have found the irony humorous. She had shot the arrow planning on killing me, but instead she had saved me. But I know that won't stop her from trying again.

I look back over to the girl who is getting up off the ground, loading her arrow once more.

"Katniss! No!" Peeta shouts. _He is trying to protect me…_ Katniss ignores his words and brings back the string. I already know that I don't have time to dodge whatever she throws at me. It is too late. "Katniss! Behind you!"

The girl turns just in time to see the knife slice through her neck.

**BANG!**

The girl's legs instantly relinquish all strength pressed onto the surface of the ground and as a result her body falls to the ground, her hands flailed to either side of her weak body.

"Katniss!" The boy screams as he runs to her side, falling to his knees in despair. Blood flows freely from her neck, staining her porcelain skin with the vermilion red liquid. It's strange to think that only a moment ago she was standing before me, her arrow pointed directly for my heart. Now, here she lays, her hair matted with her own blood.

It's funny how a little bit of blood can fracture how we look at people.

My attention is no longer focused on the girl with the excessive vermillion which stains her porcelain skin, instead it looks up to the attacker. The blue eyes, the long blonde hair, the tanned skin. _Glimmer_. She saved me. I'm suddenly glad that she isn't the kind of girl who keeps grudges. After all the last time I saw her I pretended I had slept with Cato. I'm guessing she had talked to Cato and he told her what really happened. _Cato_… The boys smiling face seems like nothing but a departing memory now. One of my first friends, gone, in the blink of an eye. Now is not the time for grieving however. No, emotions are nothing but an inconvenience at the time being. So instead, I remind myself that in order for one person to succeed many must fall.

"Glimmer… thank you…" I say almost speechless.

"Anytime" Her candy-like voice whispers. The sweetness sounds so fake it is sickening. Her eyes betray her words as pure hatred burns through them. I force myself to look away from the anguished orbs. _It's probably just the adrenaline._

I step forward toward the cornucopia, retrieving my bag. I don't even have to look to know what is inside. There is after all only one thing I could possibly need. Greedily I sink my hand into the pink bag and wrap my hand around the first object: hard and curved. My hand lifts the item to reveal a polished green apple. Ravenously I sink my teeth into the juicy fruit, coating my tongue with the saccharine flavour.

Silence fills the air, only to fall back down over us, showering us in the tension. My eyes look back to my two allies.: a girl distanced in the mind, not quite here and a boy cowering in grief. I open my mouth to speak, but what is there I can honestly say that would help? I can't lessen the pain for Peeta and I don't even know where to start with Glimmer.

"Peeta?" Glimmer says, sounding just as confused in what to do as I feel.

"Just leave" He whispers, his voice restrained from any extreme of emotion. My eyes meet Glimmer who winces at the words. I was not used to seeing Peeta anything but joyful; this was too strange of a difference.

"I'm sorry Peeta, but in order for us to win we need to eliminate the others" She tries to reason.

"Just shut up!" He shouts, being the only thing he could really say. I know he knows it's true, but the cruelty has blinded him. "Go!" The girl doesn't move a muscle.

"Peeta, everything will be okay" She says as she steps toward the crouched boy, enclosing him with her arms. _She obviously doesn't understand that the last person he wants to be hugged by at the moment is the person who just killed his friend…_

I stand back, watching as the scenario of events play out before me, it's like watching a soap opera… not that I would ever watch something as ridiculous as that…

Peeta's arms thrash out, pushing away the girl. "I'm sick of your lies! Everything is not going to be okay! Nothing is! Especially not us! Why the hell did you lie about Clove? You said she was dead for crying out loud Glimmer!"

"I didn't know!" The girl protests.

"Spare me your damn lies! You knew she was alive from the fucking start! That's why you said six people were left when Cato died in the cave!" My eyes flash between the two, I felt invisible. Here they were screaming about _me_ yet they were treating _me_ like I didn't exist... I didn't even know that was possible.

"I didn't know!" She repeats again, raising her voice as if it would make the words more effective.'

"Glimmer! If you can't even tell me the damn truth then how did you expect to ever have a relationship with anyone?!"

"Why the hell don't you trust me? I'm your girlfriend!" She screams, her face turning red from the fury.

"_Was_" Glimmer's face crosses with such a huge concentration of anger that I am worried that her brain might explode. Her eyes tighten, and her right fist tightens the grasp she has on the hilt of the dagger. My eyes widen in fear. I get a throwing knife ready, aiming at her armed hand, to injure her just enough to make sure she will drop the knife.

Peeta's face has returned to a systematic neutral, hiding the anger just beneath the core. Glimmer opens her eyes again and releases her hand a little, no longer straining at the hilt of the knife. My composure relaxes, no longer afraid of the worst case scenario.

"Okay. I'm dumped. I get it. Goodbye Peeta" She says, the tone of her voice creeping me out. Her voice is too normal. To chirpy for someone who just got dumped. Her eyes then flash over to me. "Goodbye Clove" She turns before I can respond and picks up Thresh's bag from his dead body before vanishing behind the forested barrier.

I stand in silence for a moment, looking down at the boy before me.

Suddenly I am overcome with the feeling that something needs to be said, and reluctantly I open my mouth. "Peeta… are you okay?" I curse at myself in my head. _Of course he isn't! Katniss just died and he just dumped his girlfriend_.

His eyes do not greet me. He is too lost in grief to grace me with eye contact.

"All my life, I've wanted nothing more than to tell her that I love her… and the one time I do it wasn't even to her face…"

"Tell her now" His hand snakes down her arm and clasps her hand. He nods softly.

"Katniss… ever since the very first day of school I have had a crush on you. The moment I saw you sing was when I knew I was a goner. I had fell hard for you. Every night I used to dream that I would confess to you how I feel… every day I woke up thinking this would be the day when I finally told you. I told myself that I would hold your hand if it was the last thing I did. I just didn't know it would be like this…" This is when the truth sunk in. Peeta and I were never going to be anything more than a wild dream of mine. Nothing more than a hopeless attempt at something I could never possess. Nothing more than friends. His heart was not mine to hold, not now or ever. It was Katniss's. Even if she was no longer here I know he wasn't prepared to let go anytime soon. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't go out into the rain and hand you the bread. I'm sorry I didn't do more. I'm sorry I didn't save you. I'm sorry"

He unclasps her hand and wipes his eyes. "You're in a better place now… you're in a place that actually deserves you now. Goodbye Katniss" His fingers trace up her face and push away the mattered hair which dangles helplessly on her forehead. He starts to lean down further, as if about to kiss her but he withdraws and gets up.

"Kiss her Peeta"

"No… it wouldn't be right. She's gone… it wouldn't have any feel to it" He whispers grievously. I nod my head, understanding his words. The first kiss with someone shouldn't be after they die.

I step forward to the cornucopia and grab the last two bags remaining. "Here" I say as I walk over to the boy standing idly over his lost love. "I think these both belong to you" I hand him both the bags without looking at eithers content.

"Thanks" He mutters. "Let's get out of here, please" He pleads.

"Wait" I say, bending down to the ground where a stray wildflower blooms. I pull the magenta shade flower out and hand it to him. I don't have to say anything. He knows what it is for. The boy gently leans down and puts it in Katniss's hand. As he straightens his body he mouths the word 'bye' as a final goodbye to the girl.

With quick decisive steps he makes his way over to me. "Let's go" Like a loyal dog I follow his command. I have to speed walk just to keep pace with him. Despite his feelings for the dead girl he was eager to leave, hoping that being away would lessen the grief which was no doubt greatening inside of him. I hope for his sake it works…

After an hour of silent walking Peeta finally comes to a stop, cueing for me to as well. Curiosity is now prodding at my brain for a hopeful answer.

"What's in the bags?" Peeta's hands open Katniss's bag, slowly but forcefully. A bitter-sweet smile meets his lips.

"A sleeping bag. It's a good thing too… it's not like I can prance back over to the cave to grab mine…"

"Do you want me to put in my backpack?" I ask, pulling the orange coloured fabric off and unzip it, revealing my sleeping bag which I had salvaged before leaving the camp. Peeta hands me the fabric.

"Thanks" He whispers.

"What's in your bag?" The boy pulls out the content to reveal a sturdy black vest. "Wow… you got a ballistic vest… that's going to come in handy"

"Why? It only protects my torso; they can still attack my head"

"It's a lot better than you had before Peeta" I say irritated. The boy's depressing mood was starting to rub off on me.

"Yeah you're right"

"Well you might as well put it on… it will give you extra warmth as well as protection" The boy nods before slipping the leathery fabric over his head. "You hungry?"

"Yeah, starving" I grab an apple out from my bag and throw it to him. Peeta responds with a thunderous crunch.

"Thanks… you know I really had thought you were dead" I look over to Peeta, who is now slumped against a tree. His eyes do not meet mine though. "That was a lot of earth that had covered you… I honestly thought you were a goner"

"Me too" I shiver. The memory of being trapped beneath so much force is almost overwhelming.

"I was devastated… I couldn't believe that God would be so cruel to try and take you away just when we were really getting on…" My lips curve upward. Even though I know he is still thinking of Katniss right now his words give me strength. "But I guess God isn't that cruel, because here you are now… with me, it's almost if you have risen from death…"

"The only thing I have risen from is the ground" I laugh.

"Well regardless of where, I really have missed you" My heart skips a beat.

"I was stuck in the landslide for three days. My only water was the rain which occasionally found its ways through the cracks. I had no food. I had tried to escape but to no success. After the first day I had given up. The claustrophobic torture was enough for me to give in. I had accepted my fate. I was already dead anyway. I was so dead that I didn't even pay attention to the cramps which attacked me every so often… I don't know how I managed it but I fell asleep. I was kind of hoping I wouldn't wake up though. But it changed… that night I had a dream. I had a dream about one of the kindest people ever, someone who had given me a new look on life, someone who I could, and would trust my life with. When I woke, I realised that I needed to get out of there no matter what. I needed to see that person again." I whisper. "Peeta… that person is you" My eyes flick up, just in time to see his eyes look to mine.

"Clove… I know I never got the chance to respond to you… but at the moment I still can't. It's just that so much has happened in the last few days that I don't know what to think right now. I'm sorry" My heart sinks. I had already figured he would want some time, but for some reason hearing it was a different thing entirely.

"I understand… well we should probably make camp somewhere, my eyes feel like they are going to burst from lack of sleep." I say, only telling half the reason. The other reason was that I wanted to escape the tension before it became awkward. And perhaps it will give him a little bit of time to process everything that has happened and accept it. I start walking, glancing back only once to verify if Peeta was following me.

We walk for an additional twenty minutes in a comfortable silence. I already know that Peeta is reflecting back at today's events right now. I on the other hand do not bother looking back, but instead forward, to the future, to what could happen. I start telling myself that this game can be won. That Peeta and I can beat it. We could be victorious.

My feet stop myself in front of a jacaranda tree. The pinkish-purple flowers which are in full blossom demand my attention. A few petals lay scattered across the ground like confetti at a child's birthday party. I turn around to face Peeta who stops himself just in time to prevent walking in to me.

"Can we stay here?" I ask. I have never seen a jacaranda so vibrant before. My eyes lap at the tree greedily. The image before a feast for my eyes.

"It doesn't give us much shelter… what if it storms?"

"There's next to no wind and there isn't one single cloud in the sky" I persist.

"Fine" The boy gives in. I smile as I unpack my bag grabbing out the two sleeping bags and handing him one.

"Thanks" I say as I set up my sleeping bag by the very base of the tree before sliding into it and patting at the ground next to me for Peeta to join me. He reluctantly sets himself up and slides into his.

"I really did miss you, you know" He says, yawning in the middle of the sentence. I turn to the boy, to see his eyes closed already. _Looks like I wasn't the only one who was tired…_ Taking suit my eyes flick close.

* * *

"Clove? Wake up" My eyes open, sleep still in the corner of my eyes. My vision is black and I worry for a moment, thinking I may be blind, but slowly I can make out the shadowy outline of Peeta.

"Wh-what is it?" I say, shivering. The air temperature definitely has dropped a hell of a lot.

"You were shivering like crazy. Your body was basically in spasm fit" I look down to my arms and notice that they are covered in small goosebumps. My teeth chatter. "Why don't you join me in my sleeping bag, that way we will be able to retain more warmth?" I nod my head in appreciation, before getting out of mine and sliding into his, taking a moment to wrap my sleeping bag around his.

His body is warm and sends shivers- the good kind, down my back. His arms wrap around my back, transacting even more warmth through my ice cold body. I look up to his face, but his eyes are already closed again.

"Thank you" I whisper, as I nuzzle against his warm chest, the comforting scent of baked bread clinging to his body even now after all these weeks. My eyes close but, not before a huge grin reaches my face.

"Goodnight Peeta" I murmur as my body falls to the wrath of sleep.

* * *

(OOC: And then there were four... thank you everyone for your reviews! I just reached 40 reviews for this story! You guys rock! And i'm sorry this update took so long... I was stuck on what to put in Peeta's bag, but in the end I couldn't think of anything else so I gave him the vest :) Anyway, tell me what you guys think of what's happened! And criticism is always welcomed as well ;)  
MicrowavedBeaver: Naww I'm so glad to hear that! I hope this one was the same! And you my friend need to update as well! Just because I haven't for a while doesn't mean you should do the same! Hehe, i'm not the best role model on that scale... XD  
HufflePufficus: Ahahaha, you should be happy then :) But I was never planning on it being a simple Peeniss story, there are enough of them already :D And yes, I definitely couldn't change that part! Foxface is too awesome to be anyone else!  
Dragonmaster1296 - I'm sorry but I really needed to do something like this! It gives the story progression! And If I do anything to drastic it may ruin the idea of a sequel possibly...  
MoustacheGirl- Ahahaha, you freaked me out there for a moment! Hehe, i'm so glad you are loving it! I hope I won't let you down! And if I do you tell me right away!)


	22. Sorrowful Relief

(OOC: I'm so sorry about the wait! I know it is wrong to make people wait so long, 58 days is way to long for a fanfic update, but year eleven has been so demanding... that's no excuse though is it? I will try to make quicker updates from now on. We are drawing to an end soon though :'( It's been amazing writing this story and I hope you have all been enjoying it so far!)

* * *

(Glimmer's POV)

**Chapter 22 – Sorrowful Relief**

I wipe the sweat from my palms onto my trousers. Even though the night air is freezing I am boiling hot. This is the first time I have taken a break since the feast. The exercise has been one way to take my mind off of the subject I know I can't escape. Not now. That doesn't mean I don't try to though. In the last thirty minutes the dark has seemed to be only getting darker and darker. It is almost pitch black now to me. I'm worried that it might actually be something wrong with my eyes from all this exertion. I've heard that if you don't get enough protein your body will start to take it from your eyes, making you blind. I just hope to God I haven't gotten to that stage yet. Around me it is silent. There are no owls hooting, no crickets chirping not even a rustling from leaves blowing in the wind.

I crawl into the all familiar cave. It is set up just like how it was left: for two. I close my eyes but the picture is still burning bright in my mind. But in my mind, I can still see him, laying there, sound asleep. His hair is inconsiderably shifted to the left side of his forehead and his nose is ever so slightly crinkled. Just like last night when he was here with me.

I let myself cool down a little before squirming into my sleeping bag. Despite my exhaustion and my comfortable position, I am robbed of sleep. He is on my mind. _Why didn't I just tell him? _If I did maybe he would still be here. Still with me. I know that is not the case though. It wasn't just that. It was the fact that I had killed Katniss. I know now I should have left it be. If I had Clove would be dead, he would be angry at Katniss and I would be in the clear.

Then I wouldn't have lost him: the baker, the boy who smelt of bread, Peeta, the best thing that's ever happened to me.

Before I met Peeta I didn't know what love is. Only lust. All the previous relationships I had were just about sex. To be honest, with Peeta it even started off that way to me. Then I felt something I never had before with a guy: a connection. Something that joined us together apart from our bodies. Oh the irony of it all, with the tens of relationships I have had before all of them involved sex but not love. Now with Peeta, it is the opposite. Love without sex. But now I don't even have his love. And without it I feel broken, like a part of me has left me. I feel like breaking down and crying. But I won't.

Maybe he is having second thoughts about what happened with us? After all he was really angry then, perhaps its passed. Maybe I can still get him back.

With that encouraging thought I succumb to sleep.

I awaken to pure need. Time is dwindling so rapidly through my hands that I can feel the scratchy surface of the grains of sand between the webbing of my fingers. The Gamemakers will be eager to pushing this games even further, meaning I can expect the unexpected. The feast will buy me a few more days though; I might even be able to get a whole week depending on what happens to that girl from five. But when this time runs out… it will be almost impossible to recover the relationship Peeta and I had shared.

I am just about to crawl out of the tent when suddenly I remember about the bags. I had completely forgotten to check them the day before due to the mental chaos which reigned over me. Don't get me wrong, it is definitely still there, only smaller and cowering in fear from the confidence and hope which are obliterating it in combat. Curiosity has taken its toll over me and my hands are clawing at my bag in a mission to unveil the contents. I don't have the slightest clue as to what it is. I don't recall needing anything desperately. At that exact moment my stomach growls, as if to contradict my own words. I had grown so used to food just showing up outside the cave that I never thought twice about it. It seems you don't really think much about these things until they are gone. That's appreciation for you. I am hoping desperately that whatever is inside is edible.

That's when my hands clunk against a smooth polished surface. It feels like glass against my grubby fingers, aka: not food. My disappointment only lasts for a moment before the need to sate my questioning mind becomes too overbearing. I pull out the object and frown. Resting before me is what looks to be a crystal ball the size of a small pumpkin. _What the hell?_ I pick up the object and notice almost instantly that it feels a lot lighter than it looks. Quizzically I stare at it for what seems like two eternities, I feel that if I stare at it long enough maybe it's use will be revealed.

Defeated I put the ball back into my bag and look over at the second bag: the boy from eleven's. His was the biggest bag at the feast, and I'm sure it was also the heaviest. Despite my hope for food, I can already guarantee that isn't. He was from the agriculture district. He knows how to harvest the land for food. He wouldn't need food given to him. _So what did he need? _I reach into the bag and pull out… a huge mink blanket. The blanket is soft on touch and feels like the caressing of angles wings gently pushing against my skin. I sigh, this was not what I needed though. It was just dead weight. Especially now since I was going to search for Peeta which probably means I won't be returning to the cave, not any time soon. And besides, the sleeping bag is a lot lighter than that. Flustered I throw the blanket against the wall of the cave as I turn to start rolling up my sleeping bag. Then I hear the distinctive clatter of metal.

My eyes turn to the blanket I threw against the wall. It couldn't have been that could it? I pick the blanket up and throw it against the other wall, trying to replicate the sound. Nothing. Then it catches my eye. Something gold like on the ground, glimmers in my peripheral. My hands grab at it greedily: a necklace. The gold laced chain carries a small broach of a lion bowing down. _Huh. So this was what was inside the blanket?_ So maybe, he didn't need a blanket at all… My hands fumble over the metal. _The only question is, why would he need a necklace?_ Maybe, it was something to remind him of his family? Either way I love the look of it. I place it over my head, and rest the cool metal on my neck.

Ready to leave, I pack up my sleeping bag, put it in my bag along with the crystal ball. Who knows, maybe it will become useful later on?

I crawl out of the cave and into the faint light of dawn. The night air is still there, digging it's long fingernails into my skin and through my veins where it injects ice into them. I shiver. I am now grateful for the warm clothes they gave to us on day one of the games.

Foot after foot I propel myself forwards, back toward the direction in which I came. I'm not really sure, where to go after that. I just get the idea though that Peeta would have trudged off in the opposite direction to which I did.

After hours and hours of walking I find myself back at the cornucopia. I can still see the blood stained on patches of grass. I do not give it a second thought though. What sticks out to me is that I can still sense the heartbreak of yesterday. That is what pushes me on. The need to get out of here, to escape the sensation. The late afternoon is now setting in and I am exhausted once again and hungry beyond belief. Every few minutes my stomach growls, trying to digest food that isn't there.

Once I have moved on from the cornucopia the feeling of desperation fades slightly, only to be replaced by anger: the result of starvation plus exhaustion. I have walked all day and I haven't got any idea where I need to go, or if I will ever find Peeta. I grab my bag and throw it carelessly at the ground. **SMASH!** I curse under my breath.

I had completely forgotten about the crystal ball. I pull out my sleeping bag and look at the remnants of the ball. Another curse leaves my mouth. How could I be so stupid? I empty the bag, allowing the shards to fall to the ground. And with it, a piece of paper flutters to the ground.

My hands reach down, feeling the papery surface between my fingers. _This wasn't here before._ On one side the page is blank, but on the other a few words grabs my attention:

**Say the first and last name of the tribute you are trying to find. Be aware though, map can only be used once a day, and will only update your position and not the other's.**

My eyes light up. Could this be what I need to find Peeta?

"Peeta Mellark" I say with haste. Nothing. I flip over the other side of the page and stare in bewilderment as a map of the arena slowly appears on it. A Blue dot signals my position and a red cross symbolises Peeta's. There is no scale, so I estimate it. He looks about six and a half kilometres east of me. Filled with new energy I pack up my bag, shoving the sleeping bag back in it, keeping hold of the paper.

I make myself run towards the cross on the map.

By the time I have reached the cross, they are gone. Feeling defeated I slouch to the ground in frustration. My legs have never felt so weak. I rub them gently with my palms, as if that would make them brand new. Too bad things aren't that simple. For once I wish life was simple. That it didn't always have to be so damn complicated. I wish that love was as easy as it sounded, I wish that friends were easy to make as they show in movies, I wish we didn't have to break so often in order to progress.

My trembling hands grab out my sleeping bag. I have come to the decision that I will wake up early and get a good start on finding him, hopefully before he awakes. I wriggle into it, not bothering to take off the necklace. The last thing I notice before my eyes close is the dryness in my mouth. My tongue feels like sandpaper. In all my struggle I had forgotten about water. Oh well, that will have to wait until tomorrow.

* * *

_My hands wrap around the boy in front of me. His back is turned from me. I try to get him to look at me, but he will not grace me with his stare. _

"_Peeta" I whisper into his ear. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lied to you." He does not say anything. "I love you, and I want to fix things up, please," This grabs his attention. He turns to me finally. Only it isn't Peeta. It is Cato. _

"_Why wasn't I enough Glimmer?" I step back, fearful of the man before me. "Why?" He repeats, anger filling his voice. "I loved you." He shouts. "And you run off with him? Out of all people?" I step back again, but my foot fumbles, there is no ground there. I turn around, I am on a cliff. "Well he never loved you. But, I, I had loved you with every breath and with all my heart!" He steps towards me. "He loved Katniss. He was using you, just like you used me to get into the careers." He edges closer. "I should have kept my mouth close. Everyone wanted to kick you out. They said you weren't trained. That you were just another fucking wannabe." He is now so close to me that I can feel his hot breath on my face. "They were right. I should have killed you day one. No one would have cared. You would just be another death in the bloodbath. If I killed you now, no one would care. Not your parents who as they see it you abandoned them, none of your past 'boyfriends' would. You were just another whore who screwed them. Clove sure as hell doesn't. You already fought her away from you. No one would care."_

"_No, you're wrong. Peeta would care_…"_ I stutter._

"_Peeta?! He doesn't care, not anymore. You already pushed him away! You lied to him, just like you did to me. But he never cared about you. He was just using you for your support in the games. Face it Glimmer, I was the only person who ever truly loved you in your life." I shake my head in protest. "And now, you've turned me against you. Just do the world a favour and die. Or better yet, let me do it for you!" He says as he pushes me over the edge. _

_I scream and desperately grab at the side where my fingers trail along, painting the rocky wall with my blood. My hand finally catches at a platform. A small cave runs out from the cliff side at the platform. I try to pull myself up, but I am too weak, too exhausted. I look up and see a shadowy figure looming over me._

"_Please Cato! Don't! I'm sorry!" I scream. The shadows slowly fade to show Peeta. My eyes light up. "Peeta! Please help me!"_

"_Why should I? You killed Katniss. You lied to me." My eyes clench tightly. No this can't be happening._

"_I'm sorry Peeta, I shouldn't have lied to you! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have pushed you away like that… I still love you though! You are the only person I could imagine spending the rest of my life with! Please just help!" The figure above me chuckles._

"_How forlorn your begging is." He steps on one of my hands and I wince in pain, the hand falls free. I now cling on with one hand. Nerves see me to look down. The drop seems almost endless and at the very end of the fall, sharp jagged rocks protrude out from the ground._

"_No! Peeta please don't! I'm sorry!" I cry._

"_I will never forgive you." And with that he steps on my remaining hand, and I plummet towards the ground.  
_

* * *

My eyes open in a state of mortified shock. I hadn't thought about Cato since Peeta told me he died. And even then I didn't really think much about it. Is it possible that what he said was true? Did he really over speak the careers to get me in? And more importantly was it true that Peeta was just using me for democratic support in the group? My eyes close. _I surely hope not._

I open my eyes again and take in the surrounding light. It was still dark, but the darkness was in a status of evanescence, and I could see the sunlight peering through the horizon now. Surely he'd be still asleep now. I should be able to cover some ground.

I pull out my map, which has now returned to a blank sheet on one side.

"Peeta Mellark" I say. Once again the sheet illuminates, colouring itself in. I watch as the red cross appears again. It looks about four kilometres north east from here. So I've gained a little, maybe if I hurry now, I should be able to catch him before he awakes.

A steady beeping takes me by surprise, and for a moment I am confused. That's when I see the sponsor package land. I smile to myself. _Someone still believes in me._ I pick up the metallic ball, opening it. Inside sits a small bottle of water and two cheap looking slices of bread. I don't complain, after all beggars can't be choosers. Anyway I'm sure that would have costed a hell of a lot of money, considering how far through the games we are.

I pick them up and eat one piece of bread straight away and scull the bottle. My map shows me a river nearby, I will have a chance to refill it then. After that I pack away my sleeping bag and the other piece of bread and push myself onwards. My stomach is not content however and basically cries for the piece of bread. But I ration it anyway. It will have to wait.

I pick up my pace, coming into a light jog. My legs are still tired but are much better than yesterday. The whole time I jog, I am watching the map, watching as the blue circle gets closer and closer to the red cross.

By the time I have reached the river my pace has slowed back down to a fast walk. My legs were now screaming ache. I push my bottle into the cool icy water, letting the water rush into it. As soon as it fills I drink it all, refilling it again. I keep drinking until my stomach no longer growls for food. It seems the water has made it content.

I check my map again. I am almost there. I am so close that I can almost smell the scent of bread which follows the boy. Enthusiastically I get up and go back to jogging. I already know what I will say to him. I have my entire apology memorized in my head. What will his reaction be though? Will he be merciful? Will he forgive me? Or will he be angry that I came back? I gulp. I can only hope.

Time seems to have no end to me. It feels like I have been jogging for ages, yet I have not progressed anywhere. I am feeling flustered. It's like the Gamemakers made the ground beneath me like a treadmill just to torment me. I can feel my insides pounding against my skin like a jackhammer on steroids. I look down to my map, for what feels like the billionth time. _I am almost there!_ I look out before me. I can see the sleeping lump of person before me. Relief courses my veins and I can't explain how happy I am to see just the outline of him.

That's when I stop.

His arms are wrapped around another lump, another figure: Clove.

I fall to my knees in defeat. _Is this how Cato felt?_ I am starting to understand his mental breaking down now. I've been gone for just over twenty four hours and he has already replaced me. Maybe Cato was right. Maybe he never even loved me. Maybe my emotions were just a toy to him. Maybe… I don't even know what to think anymore. I don't even know what to believe in.

There is only one thing I know for sure...

That somewhere inside my body, my heart is breaking.

* * *

(OOC: Please tell me what you thought! Do you think Glimmer deserves this? Do you think she and Peeta will get back together? Review me what you think! And just curious, I would love if in your reviews you told me who your fave character is in this fanfic (besides Peeta).  
MoustacheGirl- Ahahaha, I can see your quite the anti-Glimmer fan XD I've surely disappointed you now with this wait and for that I want to apologise :( Lol, love that creepy Peeta voice... haha. Naww thanks! I hope you liked this chapter! And it means a lot to me when fans say they check everyday :) I'm sorry you've had so many days of nothing :'(  
MicrowavedBeaver - Naww shank you very much :D I'm sorry for not reviewing your stuff, I have been off fanfic for a while but Imma go check it out now :) I hope, unlike me, I have plenty to read :D)


	23. Predominate Past

**Chapter 23 – Predominate Past**

(Finch's POV)

My hands clasp tightly on the tree, the rough sensation of bark clings to my skin like an infant to a pacifier. I love it. Over the years I have come to know this feeling so well. I have come to yearn for it. I can still remember the day I became familiar with its touch. In fact, I can see that day so clearly, every single moment of it. After all it is hard to forget the day when you killed your parents.

After I had burned the house I ran. I didn't want to be caught by the peacekeepers. They would have me killed for arson. But death is not what I had feared. Then, nor now. I have heard stories of the treatment of Peacekeepers, before the execution. If you were a girl and were to be executed, the days before it would make death seem welcoming. Torture was often used, but only on men. For women there would be a worse kind of torture. Rape. I had already gone through so much of it I wasn't letting any more happen to me. So I ran.

I ran to the only place which would give me cover from the world, the only place which would hide my secret for me: the forest. I came to know every tree there, every plant's thistle and every weed. I came to know which were edible and which were not. Of course I could not solely live on plants, and I never was a hunter, so I would come into town to trade my plants for meat.

Obviously trading was hard, as not many people cared for plants or the nutrients within. So time brought along a hard decision that saw me steal for the first time. Since I was beyond nervous I tried my luck at something small: a lone kabana stick. It was from a small corner shop. I followed in a group of people, hiding cautiously behind them. I went over to the small fridge, hiding from the man at the counter's view. And all I did was open, snatch, hide and then leave as stealthily as I came.

Over the years I became rather good at thieving. So good that I was confident enough to break into people's house while they were still there. I was good enough to sneak into the butcher's when he was tending to someone over the counter while I snuck around behind it and snatched a couple of sausages.

Eventually though my years of skill building led to confidence: the arrogant type. I started stealing more and more at one time. It was becoming more obvious that someone was stealing things. Perhaps if I listened to the conversations of local civilians I would have known to be more cautious. But no. I was young, foolish and naïve. I thought I was invincible. So when I got caught I was truly shocked.

I was doing one of my weekly routes. Every week I would change it to make it more random and less predictable for anyone who was even the tiniest bit suspicious. This particular week I was going to start it off by the bakery. The mornings at the bakery were always the busiest, so in all the confusion I was expecting to grab a loaf of bread. And I did… I just didn't get to eat it. The one time I was seen by someone it was a peacekeeper. I had just grabbed the loaf and shoved it under my jacket. It was radiating warmth. I turned to leave and as I did I was grabbed by a peacekeeper. I did not bother to even pretend that I didn't know what he was talking about: I knew I was caught. So after the Baker was alerted of my thieving he demanded that I be executed immediately. District five had low tolerance for thieves. Of course however one small thieving was not enough to have me executed. But once they found out that my finger prints matched the other scenes of larceny I was condemned to public death.

Before my death sentence was put in place I was put in prison. Two days after imprisonment I was told that I was to be killed in a week by whipping. By then I had already came into terms with my death.

The next morning a younger peacekeeper of around the age of nineteen handcuffed me. He was going to take me to the Reaping. You could only escape the reaping if you were on the brink of death, otherwise attendance was necessary. I didn't really understand though why I had to go considering I was going to die in six days. Isn't that on the brink enough? As the peacekeeper was taking me from my cell he grabbed my breasts. For that awful moment I was reminded of my days of a childhood that I would have rather forgotten.

He whispered in my ear how he was going to defile my innocence or whatever remained of it tonight. I can still smell the stench of beer on his breath today. My whole body quivered. I couldn't understand why the world would screw me over so much. But I had known that once I left for the reaping there was no way I was going to come back. Not to this.

So I volunteered, and here I am now.

To be honest though I never thought I would make it this far. Not to the last four. I didn't even think I would make it to the final ten, but here I am. I had never thought about winning before but now I feel as though I may have a chance. A small one, but a chance nonetheless. I had never wanted to win though. I knew that if I won I would just be coming back to the same situation I left. I would still be imprisoned and waiting for my death sentence, but now… now I am hoping to win.

The bag from the feast had changed it all.

I grab at the bag and pull out the letter which changed everything.

Finch Tugella, your reward is one you can only claim if you win. If you win, you will be guaranteed a clean criminal slate and a fresh beginning. No death sentence.

I have never heard of three sentences so sweet. If I won not only would I not be put to death, but I would have a house in the victor's village. I would be rich. I would never have to steal again. Life would be easy. And 'easy' is something I haven't had the fortune to have, not for the past eight years anyway.

I carefully place the letter back into the bag, and pack away the sleeping bag I had taken from the Career's tents. It's peculiar to think that not one of them have even thought about returning to them. I mean the only reason I'm not there is because I followed Peeta and Clove.

After I snatched my bag from the feast I ran into the bush and watched. No one would have expected me to hang around. They would have expected me to run off as far as I could, they think I am nothing but a scared little girl. Well that works for me, because then they won't expect anything from me.

Anyway, I saw everything. I saw Katniss' shot miss Clove but kill Thresh, I saw Glimmer kill Katniss and I saw Peeta dump Glimmer. I know this sounds terrible but the last one had the most meaning to me. If Glimmer and Peeta were no longer together perhaps there was hope for us.

Ever since that night when I kissed him I've found myself wanting him more and more. Since training I found myself taking an attraction to him, his smile was just so genuine… but then I met Ian. And he was everything I could want. So when he died of course I was depressed. Especially since the rule change of two tributes being able to win the games.

But things started to change since Cato raped me. I think the horror of it all made me forget a little about Ian. All I could think about then was what was happening. How I was being used sexually against my will. Even after I killed Cato that was all I could think about. So when I ran into Peeta his comforting meant so much more to me than just words. And the fact that I could talk to him about my problems made him seem even more desirable. I had never told anyone about my childhood. I hadn't even been able to tell Ian about it, yet there was something about Peeta that made it so easy to confess such a horrid past. And to share such secrets with someone it kind of alleviated the pain from it all.

And since I kissed Peeta he has been the only thing on my mind. I know that may sound rather abject considering I just lost Ian but it is how I feel. Perhaps my past has given me a higher emotional stability. I'm not quite sure but I do know that I have some feelings for this blonde haired boy.

I frown. Was I becoming one of those shallow girls who moved from one guy to the next like the capitol changes fashion trends? I hope not.

I shake the thought out of my head. Now is not the time for such thoughts. And the time may never come either.

My hands grip the tree as I climb up it for a vantage point. Once I reach the top I look out over the trees. Peeta and Clove are not hard to spot, they are resting behind an oak just opposite of the glen. Now I just need to work out how I can talk to Peeta alone…

I clamber down from the tree, bag on my back and hair in my face. As soon as my feet touch the ground I swipe the stray hairs across and make my move. If my years of thieving have taught me anything it's how to be stealthy. Before I even know it I am only one bush away from the pair. They are no longer sleeping though. Clove is searching through her feast bag. She pulls out two oranges and chucks one to Peeta.

"So what do we have planned for today Clove?" He says as he peels the orange.

"Honestly? I really don't know. I think it doesn't matter though because I'm sure the gamemakers will be getting impatient and will be bringing us all together soon enough. So I guess the only thing we can do in the meantime is prepare for it."

"So you're going to continue to teach me to throw knives?" She laughs.

"I could, but Peeta I need to know if the time called for it could you kill anyone?" The boy hesitates.

"Honestly Clove, I don't think so…" He brings the first slice to his lips.

"That's okay, I understand. But, Peeta we are in the Hunger Games, you can't get angry at me for killing anyone okay? That's including Glimmer." I say. Silence. "Peeta, look I don't want to kill anyone. Especially not Glimmer, but if that's what I have to do to survive I will."

"I know. It's just hard for me to accept that. Yes, we aren't going out anymore but she's still my friend."

"She's my friend too Peeta but I know I can't think like that because in a day or two one of us will have to kill the other, and I'm not going to stand their absentmindedly and allow her to take my life... not without a fight." Peeta doesn't say anything. His eyes stare off into the distance. It is clear that his mind is in another place. I wish I could tell what he was thinking about. "Well I'm going to practice, do you want to join me?" He shakes his head. "Well I'll be just around the bend if you need me." She walks off and I wait several minutes after she is out of sight just to be safe.

I step out from behind my hiding spot, revealing myself to Peeta.

He jumps. "Finch, you gave me a heart attack…"

"Sorry, but there's not much way I can give you a warning." I stride over and sit down next to him. "How long do you think she'll be gone for?"

"Well she's gone to practice so probably a couple of hours."

"Great. Then I guess we can talk?"

"Yeah of course. I'm sensing you have something in particular you want to discuss?"

"Well, do you…" I look up into those gorgeous blue eyes that I have come to fall in love with. "Still like me?"

"Yes." Is all he says. But I have never felt so relieved to hear one word before.

"But you haven't come to a decision yet have you?"

"I know you said to follow my heart, but my heart is confused. It doesn't know what it wants."

I sigh. "Don't worry about what it wants. Worry about what it needs. What it can't live without."

"But, I don't know Finch. I honestly don't."

"Well, you have to make a decision before it's too late. Before they are gone." My hands like snakes, coil themselves around the back of his neck. The rough feeling almost makes me feel like I am clinging to a tree again. A feeling I love. I bring his head closer to mine until our foreheads touch. "Whatever decision you make just know that I'll understand." I can smell the all too familiar scent of bread on his skin. My mouth presses against his. The taste of orange evident on his lips. For a moment I am in bliss. But like all good things it has to come to an end.

The sound of approaching footsteps shoots me back into reality. Peeta said Clove wouldn't be back for hours… with no time to think I force my hands into his broad shoulders and roll backwards and spin before disappearing into the nightlock bushes, causing Peeta to fall off the log we had been occupying.

From behind my cover I see Clove coming into view just as Peeta rolls into a poison ivy bush.

"My bad…" I whisper.

"Peeta, what are you doing?" She exclaims.

Peeta crawls forward with leaves through his hair and clinging to his clothes. "I was practicing my backwards rolling." Clove laughs and I stifle mine.

"I'm not an expert on plants but I'm fairly sure that is poison ivy…"

"Yeah well I didn't say I was good at it…" Another laugh and another stifle from me. Clove walks over to Peeta who is still sitting on the ground.

"Here let me help you with that." Her hands begin to clear his hair of the remnants of the obliterated plant.

Seeing an opportunity I sneak off into denser areas of the forest with the sweet, acidic taste of orange from his lips lingering on mine.

I smile.

This is something I could live for.

Something I could claim as my own.

An actual life.

Something I haven't had since I was seven…

* * *

(OOC: I believe that the story may only last for a few more chapters so you will have your victor/(s) soonish. Unfortunately however I am starting school tomorrow and will most likely not be update as often as I'd like but the story will be told. Oh and thanks to my Beta Reader's hard effort :D  
MicrowavedBeaver - Wow it seems you really have a dislike for Glimmer :P But I can't promise anything. Not yet, and especially not in authors not ;)  
HufflePufficus - Aww thanks :D I'm sorry for the minimal action which occurred in this chapter but there will definitely be some in the next!)


	24. Pain-filled Goodbyes

**Chapter 24 – Pain-filled Goodbyes**

(Peeta's POV)

My eyes are forced open by the screaming ringing in my ears. The high pitch notes pierce me like a newly sharpened dagger. I recognise the source instantaneously.

It's Finch.

I push myself off the hard ground and sprint towards it. That is after I note that Clove wasn't lying beside me.

I grit my teeth and exert my muscles to the max.

The forest around me flies past me in an unfocused blur. Greens amalgamate with browns, and browns with blacks. I don't even register the cold winds billowing over my face in an undulated mass of chilling air. All I notice is the increasing reverberation in my head as my heart pumps harder and harder just to keep up with me. Do I know where I am running? No, I don't have the slightest. I just know that somewhere out there Finch is in trouble.

I don't understand why but my brain can't seem to process that this is the Hunger Games, and in order for it to end people have to die. Well maybe my brain does understand, but the heart that concomitants it, does not. No, it believes there has been enough blood spilt, enough friends lost. If I won this I think I'd be in a psychiatric ward for the rest of my life. Maybe it would be less painful to die, or at least less destructive.

Another scream rings throughout the air. But this time it is not Finch.

It's Glimmer's.

I follow the sound of the scream which has now intensified immensely.

My legs are numb from the travail. But if I get there in time it will be worth it.

"Peeta?!" A vehement cry sounds of from the left. But it is neither, Glimmer nor Finch. It is Clove. _What's going on?_ I press forwards toward the yells. Until I am revealed into a small clearing.

Standing before me is Glimmer and Finch, bloodied and bruised, fighting. Gashes are drawn all over Finch's legs, and a lone one rests on her shoulder, bleeding profusely. However this is not a one-sided fight, Glimmer is wounded as well with excess blood pouring out of her gut. Daggers no longer in their hands they lunge at one another. Glimmer's fist makes contact with Finch's nose and I can hear the bone crushing as the crimson pours out like a blood-filled Niagara Falls. Finch retaliates as she sweeps Glimmer's feet out from under her, leaving her to fall to the ground and giving Finch the advantage for a moment as Glimmer is taken by surprise. That hesitant moment is all that she needs though. Finch kicks into her gut where she had previously stabbed her. A blood cried scream echoes through the air as she simultaneously doubles over herself and rolls from the second kick Finch has in store. Just in time too. The leg misses her by mere inches.

As Finch prepares to kick her again Glimmer grabs her leg and pulls her to the ground, where she lands on her back, momentarily winding her. In that time Glimmer has sat on her stomach, pinning her to the ground. As Glimmer attempts to grapple her arms by her sides, Finch's fist is already making contact with her face, sending her sprawling as she falls off of FInch.

The two get up almost synchronously, in what appears to be a rehearsed fashion. Suddenly I am aware of myself. I am and have been running. No, not running, sprinting. Sprinting endlessly towards the fight. Glimmer has her fist back and is starting to propel it through this light substance we call air. Towards Finch's neck.

But it never gets there.

Her fist hits me in the face, and I fall to the ground from the impact.

"Peeta!" I hear, but I cannot distinguish who owns it, everything is warped, distorted. Hands wrap around my arms and help me up. The feel of them on my skin makes it tingle, despite their calloused form; you can tell that they were once soft as velvet and as smooth of silk.

I can no longer see anything, not even the unfocused blur which everything had melded into. The skin around my eyes has swollen over not one, but both.

The pair of hands grab my arm and lead me… well I'm not exactly sure to where. Just away. I am only vaguely aware that they are only one pair. That the other left me. The voice whispers sweet encouragements into my ears, and tells me I'll be okay. My mind is not working properly. It cannot identify the voice to a person.

It seems Glimmer sure can punch.

"Peeta!? Where are you?" I don't need to identify this voice to know who it is. Clove's the only person who didn't see me. A wave of guilt rolls over me, drowning me. She's out here looking for me. Yet I can't respond. Not because my voice is gone, because it's not, but because if I do, I will be getting whoever's helping me in trouble. Neither Finch, nor Glimmer would be able to hold up their end in a fair fight with Clove.

I attempt to distract my mind from the guilt of leaving Clove to fear the worst by thinking about the end of the Games. If I was to return, who would it be with? It wouldn't be Glimmer. I couldn't see myself ever being able to trust her again. Perhaps the only reason I believed her in the first place was her beguiling beauty. When I look at it now, the time was profligate spent. I discard Glimmer from my mind. She never deserved to be in it in the first place.

Finch or Clove then?

I don't know. They both have completely different characteristics, but despite this they are similar. Both have troubles inside them which cut deep. For Clove it's the masquerade she plays, and the vulnerability she doesn't show, whereas Finch's troubles belong to her past. A childhood that never was forced her into a precarious situation which follows her… no haunts her, to this very day.

Clove, she is direct yet shielded. However I can sense the wall which surrounds her crumbling due to trust, letting me see her for all she is. Then there's Finch. She was the mysterious girl at the start of the game which I could never seem to understand, but now that the mystery has vanished like fog, I am starting to question it. I remember the night when she kissed me. She seemed so coy, so unproblematic. Which leads me to think something's not right. Her act is a lie.

She's faking something. And it's either her coyness, or her seriousness. The two just cannot live in harmony together.

If it's her seriousness that's a façade, she's lied to me about her childhood.

If it's her coyness that's a fallacy, she's playing me.

And that is a lot more terrifying then the first.

* * *

My arms stretch out, embracing the brisk morning air. Above me the sky forecasts a cloudless day for us tributes. Wait. My eyes… they are opened! A smile makes its way onto my face, I had honestly thought I'd be stuck without seeing for a couple of days. It's the little surprises like that, in which life is made bearable, enticing even.

My nostrils are attacked by the tantalizing scent of eggs cooking. I sit up and stretch again.

"Good morning." The words greet me with a gentle and sleek touch.

"Good morning Glimmer." I say, without giving much thought. _Glimmer?_

"Can I interest you in a couple of cooked eggs?" I nod my head. I am still lost in confusion as to why she would help me.

"Glimmer? Why are you helping me?"

"I'm sorry, we don't have any plates, you'll have to use the rock." She says as she slides the eggs onto the clean rock before me.

"Glimmer?" I try again.

"Why wouldn't I? I couldn't leave you there and it was obvious that she wasn't going to help you." Her eyes pierce into mine with a mixture of conflicting emotions, amongst the easiest to see are fear and sadness.

"She?"

"The girl with the reddish hair. As soon as we picked you up she bolted." I tense, sensing the unanswerable question as to why she would help me in the first place, only it doesn't come.

"You do realise that we have broke up though?" Her composition alters, and for that moment sadness is all that can be seen in those eyes.

"You were just angry. You over reacted. We just needed some time to cool dow-."

"Glimmer." I interrupt. "You lied to me, and let's face it, I didn't need to lie to myself as well." Her hands clench and unclench.

"I understand. But not a moment passes when I don't think about how I screwed up. How I had the one thing that I truly loved, and still do, yet let it slip between my clumsy fingers. I-"

"Glimmer-" I interrupt.

"No Peeta, please just let me finish." She says, shaking her head as if for emphasis. "I have never met anyone like you before. Before you, I thought love was just an obscene lullaby sung by fools and listened by those naïve enough not to know better. I thought relationships were only built on desire and greed. Maybe that's because that's all I've known. So when I stepped into our relationship, I was expecting to have the ability to step straight out of it, like I've been able to do with every other relationship I have ever had. But there was something different about this one. This one wasn't as shallow as my others. So once I took a step in, I was already up to my head in it. At first, the feeling was strange. I didn't like it. So I started to swim across to the other side, but the more I swam the more I realised I liked the temperature, I liked the feeling of the water's embrace as it cloaked me in it. So eventually I just stopped swimming. I let it drown me in the feeling. I became so used to the feeling, that the thought of anything else frightened me, so once Clove became involved I was worried. I thought you would reject me for her. I thought I was going to be lifted from the water's depth, ripped of the pressure which consumed me. So I lied to you and for a moment or two it worked. I could feel the grip of the transparent arms which were lifting me up, ease off. I had grabbed on to the weight of lies. And each time I felt them trying harder to rip me out of the water, I got scared and grabbed more weights. But the irony of it, is that in the end, it wasn't the arms which got me. The water eventually just… disappeared. And in the very end the things which I thought were my was exactly what they were: they were weights and nothing more. So there I was, sitting in a now empty hole, left alone with my bitter sorrows and regret. You'll never know how painful it was. How horrid the scars are written on my deceitful heart. But if one good thing did come out of it, it would be the revelation I had. The weights weren't really weights. They were plugs, plugs which had been holding us together, keeping the water filled. Since I can't escape from this hole I am putting the plugs back in, hoping against hope that the rain will come to fill it, to drench me in the beautiful nectar that I have come to yearn for. I miss it. I really do Peeta."

Her eyes look up to me, tear stained and puffy. A pang of remorse hits me and my hand involuntary reaches out to sweep her hair behind her ear. They almost don't. A moment of hesitation reaches them, but leaves quickly.

The hair is no longer silky as it once felt. It's coarse, gritty, rough even. It doesn't repel me though. It makes her seem more real and less pretentious. It's strange how much she has changed in these games.

Her eyes break contact, looking down at the ground, impossible to read. My hand cups her chin and brings it up, so once again her eyes make contact with mine. I lean in; my lips kiss her gently on hers and pull away, to get a complete view of her pained eyes. They let me know that everything she has said has been in deepest sincerity. Something I have wanted with Glimmer for a while now.

"I accept your apology Glimmer." My fingers brush her arm. "But I can't act like nothing has happened. It's over for us. For forever." I get up and turn away from her. My footsteps feel heavy and pained. I cast a final glance to the blonde girl I once felt something for. "Goodbye Glimmer."

"Peeta! Please don't leave me! I love you!"

I look away, the sight is too horrible. I can feel my emotions destroying my insides.

There is nothing left here for me.

With those words I push myself forwards, desperately trying to ignore the cries of a forgotten love. Each step only feeling more exhausting as the last two combined. Even when I am out of range of the noise I can still see Glimmer behind me somewhere, crumpled on the ground, salty tears finding the ground in small splashes.

My lips open, and the whispers of repetition find their way out.

"Goodbye Glimmer. Goodbye."

* * *

(OOC: peenislover- I'm so glad you're liking it! I hope I didn't disappoint you with this chapter! And i'm so sorry for the wait!)


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